The Season of The Witch
by sweetopia
Summary: Kohona a city where about 10% of the population can use magic. Sakura Haruno is finally able to attend Konoha Academy for the Magically Gifted, it's going to be a full on four years of magic, prophecies and romance! SasuSaku! A revised version of a story I wrote, and deleted, in 2012 titled Magic Class 101.
1. Chapter 1

1.

Sakura's p.o.v:

It had been three months since I had received my invitation to attend Konoha Academy for the Magically Gifted and September could not have come fast enough. I stepped out of the Hyuga compound suitcase in tow. My adoptive parents waved to me from the gate as I climbed into the back of the car. I rolled down the window and waved back frantically as the car pulled away. This would be my first time away from home since the Hyuga's had taken me in as a small child. They were good friends of my parents so when they died I was five I was raised by the Hyuga family as one of their own. My sister, heiress to the Hyuga fortune, and my cousin were both students at Konoha Academy. In fact, it was because of their family name that I had even been accepted in the first place.

The car sped down the road, my breath fogged up the glass of the window as I watched the city disappear. The Academy wasn't far outside of town, an hour drive at most, but my excitement made it seem like an eternity. As buildings gave way to suburbs and suburbs gave way to open countryside. Forrest cropped up on either side of the road, blotting out the sunlight, as we approached the campus. We came to a stop at a large set of iron gates. The driver got out to buzz us in, returning moments later as the gates swung noiselessly open.

My heart hammered in anticipation as drove up to the old stone buildings. The front of the Academy was gothic, made out of huge sandstone bricks, with intricate carvings along its gutters. It looked more like a castle than a school. I was out of the car almost before we stopped, with a quick thank you to the driver, pulling my suitcase out after me.

All around students were going about their day, a few were casting me glances, but I wasn't the only new arrival that day. Trying to remember my way around, I made my way to the main office. It took longer than I had expected, I took a wrong turn or to, but I arrived at the office eventually. Pushing the door open I narrowly avoided running into someone.

"Sorry!" I called, bowing my head, as the man came to a halt to let me pass.

"Ah, you must be Sakura Hyuga," he said huskily. I looked up and was met with a pair of deep black eyes. I opened my mouth to correct him when his fingers grazed along my jaw. Flustered I took a step back. The man flicked his long hair behind his shoulder and laughed before putting his hand against the door above me, effectively trapping me.

"You're an incubus…" I whispered my lips barely moving, but he heard me, giving me a winning smile. I could hear my blood pumping through my body as he leaned in to kiss me.

"Itachi!" A voice interrupted and the man pulled away. A blonde woman was stood in the middle of the office, hands on her hips. "Back off." He moved away, holding his hands up in surrender and I edged further into the room. "Now, Sakura, please follow me."

I followed the blond woman into the office, not daring to look back in Itachi's direction. Once we were inside I took a seat on a high-backed chair opposite the principle. She spent a few moments shuffling papers, sorting through my application forms.

"Right, everything seems to be in order here," she smiled. "I'm Tsunade, the principle of this institution, a pleasure to finally be meeting you."

"It's nice to me you too," I replied as she slid a few sheets of paper across the desk towards me. My class schedule, room number, term times and a map of the campus.

"I've made sure to highlight your route to your dorm. You'll be housing with your sister and her friends," Tsunade smiled warmly. Pointing to the red lines drown onto the map.

"Ah, thank you," I stood up, grasping the papers in one hand, and turned to leave.

"Oh Sakura," Tsunade called out as I was opening the door. I paused and turned to face her. "Do try to keep your emotions in check."

I nodded, my cheeks turning pink as I left the office. Every time my emotions became heightened there would be somewhat magical repercussions. In short, things tended to float. I looked around the office lobby to see that I had made quite a mess. Grimacing I left the room, ashamed that I had let it happen on my very first day.

Konoha Academy for the Magically Gifted was host to all manner of students. Some, like myself, were human. Either blessed with the gift of sight or who had a predisposition to witchcraft. Others were different. Demon blood ran thick in the magic community of Konoha. I had lived a pretty sheltered life in terms of meeting others who possessed magical abilities. While my sister and cousin were both gifted psychics, my other interactions had been limited.

Pulling my suitcase behind me, I tried to follow the map that Principal Tsunade had given me. As I passed, people began to stare. It wasn't unusual, my pink hair tended to catch the eye. I was always drawing attention to myself. I had even cut it shorter in an attempt to make it less noticeable, but that hadn't really helped. Shrugging it off, I continued down the corridors.

The dorm buildings were on the other side of campus to the main building, which gave me a great chance to see the grounds. All the building on campus were old, varying in time period, but never modern. Between them were spans of manicured lawns and copses of trees. I wondered at the beauty of it all, everything was so well maintained.

In the distance, I could see the dorms. The huge buildings, which looked as though they had once been mansions, were split up into smaller houses. Each of these houses had their own private entrances and housed four to six people. I wondered who else I would be sharing with aside from my sister Hinata.

I approached the door of dorm 197 and took a moment to marvel at the Georgian exterior. I knocked on the door and waited. When no one answered I knocked again.

"Hello?" I shouted, banging on the door a third time.

The door finally opened and a boy with scruffy red hair answered. We both stared at each other for a moment before the recognition hit.

"Oh my god! Gaara!" I exclaimed. The red-haired boy laughed, raking his hand through his messy locks.

"Hi, Sakura," Gaara smiled sheepishly. It had been just over a year since we had last seen each other. The summer before Gaara left for the Academy we had become _very_ close friends. "It's nice to see you again."

I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, it took a moment but he wrapped his arms around me gently. We pulled apart after a solid minute. I had missed the feel of him, I felt my cheeks growing hot at the thought of sharing a house with him for the next few years. All the things we could get up to.

"Sakura?" Hinata's timid voice sprung up from behind Gaara. We stepped away from each other, putting a more respectable distance between us. Gaara stepped to the side to allow Hinata through.

"Hi!" I grinned, hugging my big sister.

"Come in, come in," Hinata gestured for me to bring my things inside.

The house was well furnished, relatively modern despite its exterior. We were stood in the entrance hall. In front of me was a large, central staircase, which lead up to the bedrooms. Through the door to the right was the lounge and to the left the downstairs laundry room.

"This place is seriously impressive," I complimented as I was lead into the lounge, abandoning my luggage in the hall. The lounge had several old-style leather couches and chairs. There was no television, but the walls were lined with bookcases. Two bay windows looked out onto the green in front of the dorm. I turned to my sister, taking in her appearance. She had stayed at the Academy over summer making it a full year since I had seen her, she looked really well. "You've grown out your hair," I noted, and Hinata blushed bashfully.

Gaara was lounging on one of the couches, book in hand.

"Your hair looks nice too, Gaara," I teased, leaning over the back of the couch.

"Ha, whatever," he rolled his eyes, going back to his reading.

"My room?" I asked, wanting to unpack and get settled. Hinata nodded, motioning for me to follow her. Grabbing my suitcase from the hall we proceeded up the staircase to the third floor. "How many people live here?"

"Six, including you and me," she replied. "You'll really like the others. And of course, you _already_ know Gaara." Her words were loaded, she gave me a knowing grin.

I snorted but didn't deny her accusation. She had walked in on us several times, in various states of undress, but thankfully never in the actual act.

The door on the right-hand side was mine, Hinata's room was on the left. She told me to get settled and she would get me later to go to dinner.

My room was fairly large for what you would expect in a six-person dorm room. There was a double bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a small couch and an adjoining bedroom. I was lucky to have got a room with a balcony, a set of French doors led out onto the small, but pretty space. I spent much of the next few hours unpacking, arranging and rearranging my things. When I was finished the room looked considerably homelier. I sat on the bed and looked around the room critically, but I was sure that it was as perfect as it was going to get.

Feeling gross from travelling, I decided to take a shower and change before dinner. I was just dressing when I heard the door to my room open. Expecting Hinata, I stepped out from the wardrobe half dressed.

"Oh, uh sorry," Gaara mumbled when he saw my unimpressed expression.

"You should have knocked!" I accused.

"In my defence, I didn't think you were going to be half naked. It's not like I haven't seen it all before," he teased. I threw my shirt at him.

"What did you want?" I asked, pulling on a sweater.

"To see how you were settling in," he answered. "Looks nice, your room I mean…"

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you."

There was a long and awkward silence. Neither of us was sure how to act around the other, could we go back to how it was before? Fooling around any chance we got to be alone? Or did we no longer feel that way about each other?

"I-"

"I-" We both began to talk at the same time. "You go first," I conceded.

"I was just going to say that I'm really glad to see you again," Gaara said sheepishly. He came closer, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, "I missed you."

"Yeah me too," I breathed out, expecting him to kiss me at any moment. Just as Gaara was leaning in there was a knock at the door. "Hello?" I called out.

"Sakura, it's me. Everyone's ready to go to dinner if you want to come," Hinata called through the door. Gaara shot me a look that very much said 'we'll finish this later'. I smiled and walked to the door. Opening it, Hinata raised her eyebrow at the sight of Gaara in my room. I rolled my eyes, ignoring her judgy looks, and followed her down the stairs.

 **Hope you enjoy, please leave a review to let me know what you thought. There will be more chapters on the way soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

2.

The dining hall was a huge building, with rows of benches and tables. The kitchen sat against the back wall with a buffet option. On the walk from the dorm I had become acquainted with Hinata's other housemates; Tenten, Ino and Shikamaru.

"So, Sakura, what's your deal?" Ino asked, flipping her long blonde ponytail over her shoulder. She pushed around the food on her plate instead of actually eating it.

"My deal?" I picked at my fries, glancing up at Gaara as I spoke. We had taken over a long section of bench closest to the door, too much room for the six of us.

"Yeah, are you a psychic, a succubus, a siren…your deal?" She grinned, flashing a set of pointy teeth. I looked at her more closely for a moment, suddenly noticing the inhuman features she possessed.

"Uhh…" I began, distracted by her devilish features.

"Hey! Hinata!" A boisterous voice called out, powering over the rest of the chitter chatter of the dining hall. A blonde guy came speeding towards the table excitedly. Hinata's face turned a satisfying shade of crimson. He took a running leap and slid down the bench bowling into Gaara and Ino, coming to a stop right in front of my sister.

"Naruto!" Ino yelled angrily, outraged at the food which had fallen into her lap. "Would you watch where you're going!"

Before I knew what was happening another group of people were settling themselves in our midst, my cousin Neji among them. He gave me a nod and a smile as he settled himself between myself and Tenten. I smiled back, but my attention was quickly drawn to the blonde-haired boy.

"Hey, you're new!" He grinned, holding out his hand for me to shake.

"Hi," I said shaking his hand. "I'm Hinata's sister." Upon seeing his puzzled look I added, "her adopted sister."

He nodded. "Well, I'm Naruto! Nice to meet'cha. This is Kiba," He pointed to the brown haired boy who had sat down beside Ino, his face marked by two red tattoos beneath his eyes. "And this is Sasuke."

Sasuke seemed annoyed by my very existence. He looked familiar, his dark hair and deep black eyes bore a striking similarity to the incubus I had met in the school office, I assumed that they were related. I said hi only to be ignored.

"Oh, don't mind him, he's always in a mood," Ino pouted, looking at Sasuke with lustful eyes. I shrugged and turned to face my cousin.

"Long time no see," I smiled at Neji, pulling at his long hair. "You've grown your hair out again."

For an hour we all sat and talked, and I became acquainted with the rest of the people I would be hanging out with for the rest of my time here. For the most part they weren't hard to figure out; Ino was the group gossip, Naruto the joker, Kiba was the wild card with his offbeat humour and switchblade attitude, Hinata was the quiet one, Gaara the mean friend and Tenten mediated it all making sure nothing got too far out of hand. Neji switched roles frequently, pitching in where needed to help keep the conversation flowing. Sasuke joined Gaara in the 'mean friend' category, though he played the part so well that he didn't speak one word to me the whole time. I tried not to let it bother me, but as the evening wore on and we retired back to our dorm to continue the socialising, his ignorance had begun to wear on me.

"What's Sasuke's problem?" I whispered to Tenten. We were squished into one of the armchairs in the lounge of our dorm.

"To be honest, I'm surprised," she whispered back, taking a sip of her beer. She paused to laugh at a joke Naruto had just made before continuing. "He's usually quite the ladies man."

"Hah, like his brother then," I quipped gulping down the rest of the wine in my glass and holding it out to Gaara for a refill. Tenten shot me a look.

"You know Itachi? Itachi Uchiha?" She asked in awe.

"Uhm not exactly…I ran into him in the office this morning," I explained, confused by her reaction.

"Oh, well I wouldn't tell Ino that. You'll be labelled the school slut in three seconds flat!" Tenten chuckled.

"How come?"

"He's the only professor who dates students," she explained.

"Itachi is a professor!" I said a little too loudly, drawing attention to our conversation. Sasuke looked at me sharply. Across the room, Ino's interest had been piqued.

"Oh honey, we've all been there," Ino said sympathetically. "It's really best if you don't get involved. He has a new slut every term."

I looked around the room in shock as they all nodded sagely. How was it such a common thing around here that a professor was opening dating students? It had to have been gossip, but his attitude towards me this morning was pretty clear.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed. "Isn't it against the rules?"

"Well duh!" Kiba laughed. "Just because it's against the rules doesn't mean he can't get away with it!"

The conversation quickly moved on and while I was bewildered by the nonchalant attitude to the thought of a professor sleeping with his students, I figured it was just something I would get used to over my time here.

It was growing later and later and the alcohol was running dry, the conversation was straying into more sexual territory. Ino was relaying the latest gossip on the sexual conquest of someone or other when Hinata stood up, red-faced.

"Alright guys, we all have a 9 am class tomorrow so I think we should all get some sleep," She announced. Reluctantly the group agreed each muttering their own variant on wanting to go to bed anyway. I pulled myself up out of the chair, feeling fuzzy headed and ready to lay down.

"Night guys," I called, as Neji, Sasuke, Naruto and Kiba filed their way out of the front door. I received waves in return.

Once in my room, I opened the doors to my balcony and stepped out into the cool night air. Relishing the feeling of the breeze on my flushed face, I laughed lightly as small tendrils of mist started to curl around me. Ever since I could remember I was surrounded by these little wisps of mist. They were a little like Gaara's sand, only I didn't have any control over it what so ever.

After a while I began to shiver, feeling the sweat evaporate off of my skin. The air was becoming crisp and I sense the cold grip of winter approaching. Though it was only September the air was cooling, growing sharper than usual.

Stepping back inside, I settled myself in for the night.

"Sakura!" A loud voice interrupted my dream. "Sakura, get up!"

"In a minute," I mumbled rolling over and opening my bleary eyes. "Oh my god!" I yelled, sitting up and pulling the covers around me. "What the hell are you doing in my room?!" I shrieked at a rather surprised redhaired boy.

"I came to wake you up," he defended, looking alarmed. "You already missed breakfast. Hinata tried to wake you earlier."

Bewildered, I threw the covers off, scrambling to get out of bed. Rushing, I ran to the wardrobe and pulled out the first thing I could find. I was in the middle of changing when I heard a cough. Turning around, I saw a red-faced Gaara, sitting on my bed. In my panic, I had forgotten that he was even there.

"I don't have time to yell at you for being gross right now," I sighed, pulling off my underwear and changing quickly into a fresh pair. "Not like you haven't seen it before anyway."

I fumbled around, trying to pull on my skirt and fix my hair. All the while Gaara sat on my bed, watching in amusement. I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to arrange my messy mop of pink hair into an orderly style. After several minutes of fussing, I threw it into a messy bun.

"How much time do I have?" I asked nervously.

"About ten minutes before we really have to leave," Gaara said glancing over my class list. "You've got first and third class with me."

Ten minutes was half the time it usually took me to do my makeup. I looked uncertainly at the bag on the bathroom counter and made the decision to try anyway. I skipped a few steps and managed to make myself look halfway decent. Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, Gaara was getting up to leave.

"I'm ready!" I grinned, proud that I had made it.

"Come on then."

I was thankful that Gaara had stayed behind to walk me to class, I would never have made it otherwise. It wasn't a long walk, but the twisting corridors and doors that all looked the same left me wondering if I'd ever find my way back again.

"Thank you," I smiled at Gaara as he held the classroom door open for me. He rolled his eyes and gave me a small smile in return.

Although we weren't late, most of the seats in the classroom has already been filled, leaving just three to choose from and none of them were next to each other. Giving Gaara a shrug I slid into the desk by the window. Gaara took his seat just as the professor stepped into the room.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, I was happy to see that it wasn't Itachi who would be teaching this class. I took out my notebook and listened to the lecture, though I wasn't really sure what I should be taking notes on since almost no one else seemed to be writing. I had to admit the history of magic wasn't the most interesting subject and the sound of the professor's voice had begun to lull me into a stupor. I began absently doodling in the margin of my notebook, unaware that I was being asked a question. It was only once the whole class had fallen silent that I looked up in alarm.

"Miss Haruno, are you paying attention?" the professor asked.

My face flushed in embarrassment and I felt everyone's eyes on me. I shook my head guiltily, I was mortified. It was my first class and I had already been called out for not paying attention. On my desk, my pencil began to shake.

"I asked you when the ban on the use of magic by Konohan citizens was lifted?" The professor prompted. Nervously I glanced down at my notes, hoping that I had written it down. I hadn't. My face grew hotter as I stumbled over my words trying to give an answer. My pencil clattered against the desk, beginning to lift from the surface.

"I'm sorry, I don't know," I stammered. I looked around the room, hoping for inspiration. Across the room, Gaara was mouthing something. I frowned trying to make out what he was saying. "The pencil?" I murmured under my breath, unsure what that had to do with anything.

"Miss Haruno if you were paying attention you would know the answer to that," the professor chided. "Please make sure to take detailed notes or you'll fall behind."

I nodded, reaching for my pencil only to find it missing from the table.

"Uh-oh," I whispered, seeing it hovering several inches above my desk. I grabbed it and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed. That was what Gaara had been trying to warn me about. Thankfully, the rest of the class had grown bored with my embarrassment and resumed whatever they had been doing before.

For the rest of class, I tried to focus on the professor and keep my emotions under control. The last thing I wanted was to cause a scene. In between note-taking, I snuck glances across the room at Gaara. He looked cute when he was concentrating. His serious face marked by a small frown as he drummed the end of his pen against his chin. I stopped when I found myself daydreaming about the softness of his lips.

The bell rang and I shoved my notebook into my bag as quickly as possible, ready to get out of there. I met Gaara outside the door.

"Jeez," I sighed. "How awkward was that?"

"Well if you were paying attention, instead of daydreaming about me." Gaara teased.

"Whatever," I scoffed, trying to ignore the urge to flirt back. "Where's my next class?"

I handed over my class list and Gaara studied it for a moment before handing it back to me with some very precise directions.

"You sure you're going to be ok getting there?" he asked as I repeated them back to him, incorrectly might I add, for the third time.

"I'll be fine," I waved him off and headed in what I hoped was the right direction.

After my fifth wrong turn, not that I knew it, I was about ready to give up. I was already five minutes late, maybe it would be safer to head back the way I had come. The only problem was I wasn't exactly sure about that either. I was lost.

Frustrated, I continued to wander aimlessly down the halls. None of the door numbers seemed to go in a logical order. I passed 243 and then moments later I arrive outside of room 673.

"How many rooms are in this place?" I muttered under my breath. This part of campus seemed deserted. I hadn't seen anyone for the past ten minutes. Resigning myself to missing class I changed tack and tried to find my way to the dining hall, knowing that I had lunch in half an hour.

Getting to the dining hall proved no easier than finding my classroom. As I paced down the same corridor for the third time I began to feel as though I was trapped in a never-ending Labyrinth.

"Ugh!" I kicked the wall in frustration. My stomach was growling and I was beginning to worry that I would never find my way back.

In the alcove next to me, I heard the vase begin to shift. Closing my eyes, I tried to calm down. Counting backwards from ten, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. Everything was still again.

"What are you doing?" a voice startled me. I let out a scream and the vase in the alcove shook dangerously. Turning around I saw Sasuke Uchiha standing at the edge of the corridor.

"Oh, thank fuck!" I sighed. "I'm lost."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, approaching me. I held out my class schedule out for him to look at. He took it from me, reading it over and handed it back. "You missed class."

"Oh," I said stupidly.

"Lunch?" he asked. Though it was an invitation he seemed clearly annoyed by my presence. I nodded and followed quietly behind him as he stalked down the corridor. He walked quickly, and my short legs struggled to keep up with him. In minutes we were out of the maze of corridors I had been stuck in for the last hour and outside.

I breathed in the autumn air, unaware at just how claustrophobic I had become while inside. We were at the back of the building, the gardens spread out before us. I marvelled at the manicured lawn and the neatly trimmed hedge row. A little way off in the distance I could see a large stone fountain. In my admiration of the scenery, Sasuke had walked on ahead, clearly not impressed.

I hurried to catch up, worried about being left behind again. The dining hall was coming into view at the end of a long treelined footpath. My stomach growled in anticipation of food. Sasuke cast me a disgusted glance and opened his mouth as if to say something, but thought better of it. I sighed, unsure of what his problem was with me.

We walked through the dining hall doors together and I was relieved to see the rest of the group already sat eating their lunch. I hurried through the line to get something to eat and slid onto the bench beside Naruto.

"Hey, Sakura, where were you? You missed potions class," Ino asked, raising her eyebrows as Sasuke slid onto the bench opposite me.

"Oh, I got a bit lost," I said sheepishly.

"Of course, you did," Gaara sighed. "You can't even follow basic instructions."

"You can't even follow basic instructions," I mocked in a weak comeback.

Gaara rolled his eyes and I flicked some of my peas at him.

"What are you, six?" I heard Sasuke mutter under his breath. Ignoring him I continued to throw food at Gaara, who was dodging it skilfully.

I stopped the miniature food fight after a stern look from Neji. As a child, I had always been a little intimidated by Neji. He had always been the one to keep my, often childish, behaviour in check. I mumbled an apology and picked up a fry, putting it in my mouth. We at and chatted through lunch and I recounted the story of my awful first lesson.

"Oh, how embarrassing!" Tenten cringed. "I remember my first history of magic class I fell asleep and Ino had to practically hit me awake."

I laughed, feeling a little better about my situation as everyone told me their embarrassing stories. Naruto's was by far the most hilarious. The guy had tried to use a fire spell to heat up the bowl of ramen which he had snuck into class after lunch and ended up setting himself on fire.

The bell rang and I pulled out my class list to as if anyone was in my next class. To my surprise, the whole group was in the same class.

"It's mandatory," Hinata explained as we walked from the dining hall to the main building. "Everyone is required to take the class every year they're here. It's nice that you were put into our group."

Feeling much more confident with my whole group of friends surrounding me I walked into Control of Magic with my head held high.

* * *

 **Sweetopia: That's all for now guys! It took a while to write this as the story before was pretty disorganised, I've been piecing bits together and filling in the gaps. Sorry for any mistakes! Hope you enjoy this chapter, please leave me a review as I really love hearing from you!**

 **If you liked this story please check out some of my other stories!**

 **xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Almost as soon as I walked through the door the professor, a silvered haired man in his early thirties, looked up from the book in his hand – his eyes locking onto me.

"Ah, Sakura Haruno," he called, I worked my way to the front of the group and bowed. "It's nice for you to be joining us. I knew your parents."

I was thrown, for a moment I was stunned. It was rare for people to tell me that. My parents were pretty mysterious figures here in Konoha, they died shortly after arriving here, leaving me an orphan.

"Oh," I said simply, unsure how to respond.

Hurrying to find I seat I plopped down on the seat next to Hinata, narrowly beating Naruto to the spot. I glanced at Hinata's flushed face and smirked a little, raising my eyebrows at her disappointed face. Naruto took the seat behind my sister instead. Felling a little guilty, I leaned back in my seat to talk to him.

"Hey," I whispered. "Do you want to switch seats?"

"Why? Do you want to sit next to Gaara?" He asked. I sighed, how could he be so oblivious. Hinata had been in love with Naruto ever since they had first started at college together and Naruto seemed to be completely unaware.

"Yeah, I guess we'll go with that," I replied, standing up to switch seats.

"Ahahah Sakura and Gaara sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Naruto's loud voice projected across the classroom. I punched him in his stomach as he passed. "OW! Wow, Sakura! That's quite a punch you got there."

I shrugged, sitting beside Gaara. I watched as Naruto sat at my desk, shuffling it ever so closer to Hinata. I grinned to myself as Hinata shyly waved hi to him. Gaara shoved my shoulder and rolled his eyes at me, probably for meddling.

"Right class!" The professor, Kakashi Hatake, said, tucking the small book into his pocket and standing up to address the class. "Let's get down to business. So today we're practising magic control…"

"Something that _some_ of us clearly need to work on!" Gaara whispered to me. I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"…Levitation. That's right folks, a little enthusiasm please!" Kakashi continued. "So, everyone get into your groups, I want band A's front right, B's front left, C's back left and D's back right!"

Everyone stood up and moved to their assigned group. Unsure what to do I remained sat at my desk.

"Haruno, what are you waiting for?" Kakashi asked, crossing his arms.

"Uhm, I'm…I'm not sure which group to join…" I stammered, once again being singled out. "I didn't actually sit the entrance exam."

The class fell silent, I winced. I knew what they were all thinking, either I got in because my parents are both dead and Tsunade took pity on me or it was because I came from a rich family.

"Then pick one," he shrugged. "Just do it fast, I want to get back to my reading."

I looked at the D group, there was no one I knew there and despite feeling like I would probably be best suited to that low level of magic control my pride wouldn't let me. Hinata, Ino, Kiba and Shikamaru were all in group C, while Neji stood alone in the B group. Naruto gave me a wave from the edge of the A group alongside him equally serious looking Gaara and Sasuke. Feeling an overwhelming sense of pride, I didn't want to be known as the girl who got in because of her tragic backstory and rich adoptive parents, so I strode confidently over to group A.

"You really shouldn't be in this group," Gaara warned.

"Whatever, you're just worried I'll kick your ass," I replied with a smirk.

"Ohh, you're going down," he retorted cockily.

"Not the first time you've said those words to me," I laughed, I couldn't help the flirty tone in my voice. Gaara and I had always had a tension, and being competitive always brought it out. I stepped closer to him, my body brushing up against him.

"What did you say to Sakura!?" Neji yelled across to us. He had always been protective of me and he had never approved of Gaara. I rolled my eyes and took a step back putting some distance between us.

Once the chatter had died down, Kakashi lead us from the classroom and out into the grounds.

"Right class, band D's and C's pick an object, a leaf, a stick or something and try and get it in the air. Focus on a controlled levitation, get that object in the air and keep it there as long as you can. Band B's try and focus on getting yourself in the air, again remember control. Band A's, and Sakura, the same goes for you." I narrowed my eyes when he added me as my own group but didn't complain.

At least levitation was a skill which I was more than used to, it was the control part I knew I was going to have a problem with. I looked longingly over at Ino and Hinata as they struggled to get leaves they found to float up in the air, they giggled as the leaves dropped to the ground. Was it too late for me to switch groups? I knew I could make it in group C it would be so simple, and I might even learn something.

"What's the matter Sakura?" Naruto asked walking through the air just a few inches above the ground. He was making it look so easy.

"Scared you're not good enough?" Sasuke smirked at me, practically lounging in mid-air. I huffed and turned to see Gaara standing on that stupid sand on his.

"I think she is Sasuke," Gaara taunted. "Why don't you go over and join the band D's. That's really more your speed."

Frustrated, I glared at the boys as they floated around me mocking me.

"No fair!" I protested. "Gaara's cheating!"

I could feel the anger and frustration bubbling up inside me. Good, I thought. I could use the emotion. I let myself get more and more angry. I knew at some point it would work, but the only problem with emotionally charged magic was its unpredictability. For a few moments nothing happened, Gaara and Naruto continued to mock, while Sasuke watched me lazily, his serious face tinged with curiosity. Then, all at once, I felt myself lift from the ground.

"Oh!" I squeaked, with glee. "I'm doing it!"

My excitement was so great that a suddenly shot up another three feet. I felt my stomach drop as I continued to drift upwards. Though I could feel the air supporting my body I felt unsteady, precarious as though I might take a step and fall at any moment.

"Woo! Look at you go, Sakura!" Naruto cheered.

"Yeah, aha," I laughed nervously. I was getting a little too high for comfort now. I crossed my legs knowing that my choice of outfit wasn't the best. If I calmed down little, then maybe I could get myself back to the ground. The ground, which was getting further and further away. I looked around hoping for some help, people were beginning to stare, but no one seemed concerned. No one but me. All of a sudden, I felt very vulnerable. Very human. Unlike some of the people here, if I fell from a great height I would die.

"Ok, control," I muttered to myself. "It's all about control." I took a deep breath and tried to settle my emotions. In theory, if I calmed down enough then I would begin to descend back down to a more reasonable height. Closing my eyes, I tried to visualise myself landing softly back on the ground. I felt myself begin to relax.

In an instant, I felt the support of the air disappear from under me. The air rushed past me as I plummeted towards the ground.

"Ahhhhh!" I screamed, attracting the full attention of the class to see my untimely death.

"Sakura!" I heard my sister shout, but I was already about to hit the ground or so I thought.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around me. I opened my eyes in surprise, and Sasuke Uchiha was the last person I had expected to be staring at. I breathed out in relief, never coming so close to death in my life, staring up at Sasuke in disbelief. Sasuke stared back similarly shocked, almost as if he hadn't actually expected to catch me. There was a long moment where we starred at each other, eyes locked, hearts hammering and adrenaline pumping. I felt dizzy, fuzzy as if the world was so distant. Then it all came back at once.

People were swarming around us, shouting and asking questions.

"Haruno, are you alright?" Professor Hatake, burst through the crowd. "Everyone get back!"

"I'm fine," I insisted. "I'm fine."

I felt Sasuke's grip tighten around me, almost protectively.

"Drop her, Uchiha," Neji demanded.

"Hn, why?" I could feel the vibration of Sasuke's voice through his chest. I was beginning to feel embarrassed, I could feel the blush colouring my face.

"Because you're groping her," he said through clenched teeth. "Now drop her."

Sasuke paused for a second as if considering if he was going to put me down or not. I was half expecting for him to actually drop me to the floor. Surprising me again, Sasuke set me gently to my feet. I took a shaky step on my own to prove that I was unharmed.

The rest of the class was beginning to get bored, seeing that I was unharmed, and had begun to wander away. My friends and Professor Hatake remained close by. I felt exhausted, as though I was about to fall asleep. I wobbled, and about six pairs of hands reached out for me.

"Ok," the professor said with authority. "It's ok. She just needs to rest. We've all used up more magic than we can handle at some point. One of you take her back to her dorm room. You, Gaara, you're her boyfriend right? You take her."

"He's not my boyfriend," I mumbled, as Gaara wrapped his arm around my waist steadying me as I walked. I cast a glance back at Sasuke, feeling my heart flutter in my chest. "He's not my boyfriend," I repeated.

Gaara sighed and walked me away from the class and towards the dorms.

"You're an idiot," he said once we were out of earshot of the group. "An absolute fucking idiot."

"I know," I muttered in reply. "I'm tired, can you not shout at me?"

"Of course, since I'm not your boyfriend, I can definitely do that," he said sarcastically. I groaned I was not in the mood for this argument.

"Well, you're not my boyfriend," I defended. "You've never been my boyfriend. We haven't even slept together in a year!"

"Fucking hell Sakura," Gaara replied. "I didn't realise you were that into Sasuke Uchiha."

"I'm not!" I sighed as we struggled up the steps to our dorm house. "Gaara, are you jealous?"

I was only half teasing. We stumbled into the lobby, my legs were feeling heavier by the second. I had never overexerted myself this much before. Gaara remained quiet as he hauled me up the stairs. Relieved to see my bed, I fumbled with my clothing my fingers were too tired to manage any of the zippers or buttons.

"A little help?" I asked.

"Sure," Gaara answered, helping me with the zipper of my skirt. I pulled off my t-shirt and kicked off my boots. Turning to Gaara, I studied his face.

"Sakura," he whispered his hand firmly on the small of my back. His skin felt hot against mine, he pulled me closer, his lips meeting mine. For a moment I felt my self giving in, it was just like old times. I wrapped my arms around his neck kissing back sleepily. Gaara lifted me onto the bed, his hands brushing over my exposed skin as he pressed me into the pillows.

"Gaara, stop," I gasped, as he kissed his way down my neck. "Gaara. Stop!"

Gaara pulled away a concerned look on his face.

"Are you ok?"

"We can't do this anymore," I sighed.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"I don't wanna argue right now," I replied, knowing that I wasn't making sense. "I'm tired. I want to sleep."

Gaara left, just as I was falling asleep. My eyes closed just as the door clicked shut.

* * *

 **Sweetopia: Hope you enjoyed! Please review! I really appreciate it! Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Several weeks had passed since my disaster of a first day, and I was finally settling into life at the college. Since my performance on my first day, I had been officially dropped to Band C pending my grading exam and had been enrolled in extra tutoring with Tsunade. The extra tutoring on top of my regular classes was exhausting, and Tsunade worked me to the bone, but I was already improving in leaps and bounds.

Even so, as I collapsed onto the dining hall bench beside Hinata, I couldn't help but feel like I was being punished. I winced as my aching muscles protested at being forced into a seated position.

"Sakura, are you sure you're ok?" Hinata asked, her face lined with worry. I gave her a tired look and rolled my eyes, too tired to speak. "Sorry for asking," she muttered, going back to her conversation with Naruto. Ino slid gracefully onto the bench opposite me, her blue eyes shining wickedly. It was clear she had gossip to tell.

"Guess what!" Ino began, grinning and showing her perfectly pointed teeth. I was always surprised by just how many demonic characteristics Ino displayed. She was only a halfblooded succubus, but everything about her screamed demon.

"What?" I asked, knowing she wouldn't let me rest until she had told us whatever titbit of information she had gleaned.

"Neji, yes that's right, _our Neji,_ has asked Tenten to the Samhain ball!" She squealed excitedly. It was safe to say that I was confused.

"The what?" I asked, puzzled. Ino rolled her eyes at me.

"The Samhain Ball," she repeated as if I simply hadn't heard.

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked again. Sasuke had joined the group now, his tray empty, apart from a drink.

"Oh my god, Hinata tell me she's kidding!" Ino gasped. I shot a glance across the table at Sasuke. Things had been strange between us since I had first arrived at the college, but lately, things had seemed to be improving. He had even started walking me from History of Magic to Potions so I wouldn't get lost.

"I thought you were meant to be a witch," Ino chided me. "So, on 'Halloween' the college throws a dance," she threw air quotes around Halloween, dumbing it down. I nodded. "Oh, and there's always a great after party in the dorms!"

I let Ino babble on for several minutes about what had happened at last year's party while I picked at my food.

"So anyway, back to my original point…Neji and Tenten!" She exclaimed, taking a deep breath. To be fair to Ino, it was big news. Neji had never even shown the slightest interest in Tenten.

"Did she say yes?" Hinata asked nosily.

"Again, I thought you were supposed to be a psychic," Ino held her hands up in exasperation. "Yes, she said yes."

"Hey guys, what's up?" Gaara asked as he sat beside me. I groaned and slammed my head into the table. "Well someone's in a good mood," he noted sarcastically. Things had been weird between Gaara and me since the incident in my bedroom and the whole group could sense it.

"We were just talking about the Samhain Ball," Ino chirped. "Neji asked Tenten to go and she said yes!"

"Jeez, is it that time of year already?" Gaara said, running a hand through his hair. Ino looked put out that no one seemed to be as enthused about her gossip as she had been expecting.

"Has anyone else been asked yet? You're running out of time, only a week to go," Ino grinned devilishly. She tossed her blonde ponytail over her shoulder. "Obviously, Shikamaru is taking me."

Ino and Shikamaru had been an item long before they had joined the college and his permanent exhaustion was a testament to their active sex life. It couldn't be easy being the romantic partner who literally sucked the energy out of you.

"So, Sakura," Gaara tried to change the topic. "How was your tutoring session today?"

"Oh, fuck off," I grumbled, it was clear I was barely able to lift my arms. "It's hell, I've never felt so tired in my whole life. I didn't realise how hard this was going to be."

Gaara laughed at my miserable face.

"Y'know," Ino interjected. "You won't get a guy to ask you to the ball if you keep looking so run down."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her.

After lunch, Gaara and Naruto walked with me across campus to our next class. Naruto was chatting happily away, his boisterous personality never dulled. About halfway through our walk I finally felt I had recovered enough from my training with Tsunade to talk.

"So, how big a deal is this Samhain thing?" I asked, clutching my books to my chest as we walked down the leaf-covered path. The boys shrugged. I had clearly asked the wrong people. "Like, it's not a big deal if I don't go, right?"

"Oh no Sakura you have to go!" Naruto implored. "It's really fun! Besides, if you don't go Ino might actually kill you. She organises it every year."

"Yeah, that's true actually," Gaara nodded. "The last time Sasuke didn't go, she made his life hell for weeks afterwards."

Great, I thought to myself. I had never been big into the party scene. If I'm honest I found them especially boring. There was a reason Gaara and I always snuck off to some secluded back room to fool around during those kinds of events. I snuck a sideways glance at Gaara and recalled the last ball we had attended.

"What if no one asks me?" I asked, suddenly very concerned about my desirability.

"Tch, you're such a girl Sakura!" Naruto laughed ruffling my hair. "If no one asks you I'll take you if you want."

"NO!" I yelled rather forcefully. "I mean, why don't you take Hinata instead? I'm sure she'd appreciate it," I hinted not so subtly. Naruto scratched his chin thoughtfully, considering my suggestion his cheeks turning the barest hint of red.

"Do you think she'll want to go with me?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yes!" I clapped my hands excitedly. "Don't you think so Gaara?" I gave the redhead a nudge in the ribs.

"Oh, uh yeah," Gaara agreed. "She will definitely say yes."

Gaara gave me a disapproving look for meddling in their relationship. He had always been of the opinion that they needed to realised their feelings for each other on their own, while I was very much of the opinion that they needed a helping hand.

The Samhain ball was approaching quickly and with only a day to go, it was all anyone at the college was talking about. I spent most of the day being lectured by Ino for not having found a date yet. I had to admit that I was a little disappointed that no one had asked me, but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

"Even, Gaara has a date!" Ino complained. "If you go stag we'll have an unbalanced group!"

"I'm sorry Ino, but no one's asked me," I said for the billionth time. "Are you sure everyone in the group has a date? Even Sasuke?

"Well, duh! Sasuke's had girls fighting over him all week," Ino rolled her eyes. "He'll probably bring more than one."

I frowned, with his cold demeanour I couldn't imagine Sasuke being much of a ladies man. Of course, what he lacked in people skills he definitely made up for in looks.

"Won't that unbalance the group," I replied sarcastically as we headed from alchemy to the dining hall for dinner.

Ino rolled her eyes at me and gave me a look that told me I'd better have a date by seven pm tomorrow. I sighed and picked up a plate, pilling it high with food from the buffet. Ino followed behind me, picking the tiniest amount of food. Unlike us mere mortals, demons and half-bloods had other ways of getting their energy so food was rarely necessary.

We made our way to a free section of the table and settled ourselves down. We were the first of our group to arrive. Having final period so close to the dining hall was certainly a plus when it came to Fridays.

"What about him?" Ino pointed at a dark-haired guy walking passed our table.

"Ino, you made it very clear that I wasn't allowed to actually ask a guy to the ball. They have to ask me. Does it look like he's going to ask me?" I sighed, annoyed that we were still stuck on this subject. I would be glad when this was all over.

"Maybe it's your hair," Ino mused. "It's so bright, you might be putting people off."

"I didn't choose my hair colour, Ino," I replied defensively.

"I'm just saying," she shrugged. "Guys probably find it intimidating."

"How can you find a hair colour intimidating?" I asked, thankful that I could see Tenten and Hinata on the opposite side of the hall. I gave them a wave to come over.

Our other girlfriends made their way over to us and I was hopeful that we could switch to a different topic. Sadly, my hopes were dashed almost instantly.

"Naruto asked me to the ball!" Hinata blurted out, her face a glowing red.

"Finally!" Ino grinned, giving me the side eye. "So that's just Sakura left then."

I stuck my tongue out at her before turning to Hinata to congratulate her. We had been waiting all week for Naruto to finally pluck up the courage to ask my sister out, bets had even been exchanged. I had lost fairly early on, assuming that Naruto wouldn't be able to keep his intentions secret for longer than a day.

"Oh, still no luck then?" Tenten asked me, her tone sympathetic.

"No," I grumbled. "I still don't see why it's such a big deal."

"You'll unbalance-"

"Oh my god, Ino, I know!" I interrupted her before she could continue. "Look, I don't have to go."

Ino gave me a sharp look, her eyes narrowing dangerously. She had made it very clear that by not attending I would be publicly protesting her event. As much as she irritated me, I did not want to get on the wrong side of Ino. If she was this mean to me when I was her friend I dreaded to think how she would act if I wasn't.

I spent the rest of dinner staring moodily at my plate while the others chatted excitedly about the following evening. I left as early as they would allow, to go sulk alone in my room.

Ino had taken over the house, kicking the boys out so the girls could all get ready together at our dorm. There were bags and shoes and makeup everywhere, practically any surface you could imagine had been turned into a dressing area. She had begun her insane tirade at eleven thirty that morning, it was currently twenty to six.

"Sakura are you getting ready yet? You're making me nervous!" Ino snapped as she tried on a pair of diamond earrings. "Ugh, this dress doesn't go with these!" She pulled at the pale blue fabric, letting it drop to the floor.

I lounged on the sofa in my sweatpants and a hoodie, watching her as she preened herself.

"Try the yellow one on again," I suggested as Ino hunted through the huge pile of clothes she had brought downstairs.

"Will you please get ready!" she yelled, picking up the yellow dress as I had suggested.

I grinned and disappeared upstairs to go get ready. In the sanctuary of my room, I did my makeup – a heavy smoky eye and burgundy lipstick. It took me a little under half an hour to do a full face of makeup. I looked at myself in the mirror, and brushed my hair, straightening it so that it framed my face perfectly.

Taking my dress out of the wardrobe I stripped naked and slid into it, feeling the silk fabric against my skin. It was a deep red gown with a plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit up one side. Given my fairly conservative upbringing, I'd never had the chance to wear it until now. I marvelled at my self in the mirror, admiring the drastic change in appearance from my usual casual style. Slipping on a matching pair of heels, I stepped out of my bedroom and made my way downstairs. I could hear the girls chattering away, it seemed that in my absence Ino had picked a dress.

"Ok," I said, as I stepped into the room. "I'm ready."

I was met with a stunned silence. Hinata's cheeks turned pink as she took in my revealing dress while Tenten and Ino openly gawped.

"Fuck," Ino said finally.

"Fuck indeed," Tenten agreed.

I grinned, pleased with the reaction I received. Just because I was going to this dance alone didn't mean I wouldn't be turning heads.

It was seven pm sharp when Ino marched us out of the house to meet the guys who were waiting outside. Before I left the door, Ino gave me a measured look, still not thrilled that I hadn't found a date. I gently took her hand and pulled her out of the front door with a cheeky grin on my face. Ino's face cracked into a smile and she laughed as I pulled her down the steps.

Neji, Naruto and Shikamaru were all waiting on the lawn of the dorms dressed impeccably in their suits. We walked over the uneven ground in our heels with ease thanks to a handy charm I had picked up from my newest grimoire - clearly, I was putting my education to good use.

"WOW!" Naruto shouted as he saw us approaching. "Hinata you look amazing!"

I smiled as Hinata's perfectly made-up face turned beet red. Neji greeted Tenten formally, but I thought I could see the faintest trace of a smile on his serious face. Ino and Shikamaru were practically attached at the lips at all times, so it was no surprise to see them all over each other. I felt a little pang of disappointment who there was no one there to greet me, but I quickly shook it off.

"Where's Gaara and Sasuke?" I asked, looking around for our missing group members.

"They went to pick up their dates. I told them to meet us there," Ino replied, releasing her boyfriend just long enough to tell me. Another twinge of disappointment. The only way I had ever gotten through these sorts of events had been with Gaara, but I had pushed him away and now I had no one to sneak off with.

As a group, we made our way from the dorm to the college's ballroom. I was in awe as we stepped into the great hall. It was all marble, with gauzy white canopies draped across the ceiling and down the pillars. Floating lights lit the room, entwined in the tulle and illuminating the room with a warm white light. I was amazed.

"This is beautiful!" I breathed as we stepped through the entrance and into the hall.

"Thank you," Ino purred.

"Seriously, well done," I smiled at my blonde friend, awestruck.

The room was fairly crowded, lots of people were here already. I snagged a glass of champagne off of a passing waiter and followed Ino as she led us to the centre of the room. For the moment no one was really dancing, the ball was in what Ino called the cocktail stage where everyone met up and chatted. At the centre of the room, we found Sasuke and Gaara.

People were staring at me as I passed. I tried to ignore the more predatory gazes, not wanting to encourage any incubi to approach me – at least not that early on in the evening.

"Hi," I smiled as we approached the two boys. I gave Gaara a wicked grin as his eyes immediately fell to the plunging neckline of my dress.

"Sakura, you look…wow…" Gaara began. Beside him, his date, a demure-looking girl with long brown hair crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Oh, uhm, Sakura this is my date."

"Lovely to meet to," I greeted, holding out my hand for her to shake. "I'm one of Gaara's good _friends_ ," I made sure to emphasize the friend part. I could already see the look of suspicion and jealousy on her face. "Have you met Hinata and Naruto?" I asked, trying to escape from the awkward situation. Gaara shot me a grateful look.

"Sasuke, where's your date?" Ino was asking the dark-haired boy as I approached. I took a sip of my champagne and sidled up next to her.

"Hn, I don't have one," he replied with a shrug. I winced as Ino's voice rose in pitch and decibels.

"WHAT?" She shrieked. "You said that you were bringing someone!"

"Well I didn't," he sighed, clearly bored already.

"Well, there Sakura, you're not the only one to disappoint me tonight," Ino said snottily as she stormed off, Shikamaru trailing behind her dutifully. I knew she didn't mean to be so mean, but her naturally bitchy attitude shone through.

I rolled my eyes, downing the rest of the champagne in the glass and waited for another waiter to go by so I could get more. In the meantime, I made small talk with Neji and Tenten in an attempt to stay out of the way of Gaara's jealous date.

"People can't take their eyes off of you," Tenten teased as another guy wandered passed, his eyes fixed on me. Beside her Neji frowned, his jaw twitching in annoyance. He had always been protective of me, even as we grew older he would maintain that no man would ever be good enough for his little cousin.

"Could you not have worn something else?" Neji sighed as someone wolf-whistled as they walked by. I shrugged my shoulders, feeling pretty good about myself.

After another twenty minutes of the 'cocktail stage', Ino gave a small speech to thank everyone for attending and signalled the actual start of the ball. The band began playing and I hurried off to the side of the hall to skulk with all the other singles.

"Hello there, Miss Haruno," A sultry voice said from behind me. I jumped, not expecting anyone to talk to me. I turned around to find Professor Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's older brother, leaning on the marble pillar behind me. "We meet again."

"I'm in two of your classes, professor," I replied curtly, knowing that he was referencing our meeting in the headmaster's office.

"Yes, you are," he smirked. "Though you've never shown up to one of my classes looking so…" he paused and licked his lips "…delicious."

I shuddered, everything about this guy gave me the creeps.

"Maybe there's a reason for that," I murmured. I swallowed hard, my throat felt dry. I made my way to the drinks table, very aware that Professor Uchiha had followed me. I picked up a glass of champagne from one of the towers on the table and took a sip.

Itachi followed suit, getting himself a glass and watching me over the rim with incredible scrutiny. I suddenly felt self-conscious and wished I had worn something less revealing. Itachi took a step closer and it took all my self-control not to back away.

"You're getting braver," Itachi grinned reaching out his hand to stroke my hair. He stooped down and whispered in my ear, "but I like that I can see the fear in your eyes."

"Professor!" I heard Ino call, attracting Itachi's attention. I let out a breath that I didn't realise I had been holding.

"Later, petal," he grinned menacingly at me as he turned to talk to Ino.

I took off quickly, mouthing 'thank you' to Ino as a passed. I knew she had intervened on purpose. Eager to blend in with the crowd in the hope that Itachi wouldn't find me again, I made my way across the dance floor. I dodged the dancing couples and headed for the opposite side of the room, ducking behind a pillar.

I was alone again. I sighed and leaned back against the pillar, watching as everyone else seemed to be having a good time. Naruto and Hinata were dancing out of time with the music, trapped in their own little bubble. Neji and Tenten were locked in deep conversation their hand gestures passionate and their voices low. I scanned the room for Gaara and his date, but couldn't find him. I smiled wryly, he had probably taken her to do what we had used to do at events like this.

Drinking another two glasses of champagne, I spent almost an hour hiding behind that pillar. The alcohol was really the only way to cope with the boredom and persistent staring. My main source of entertainment came from watching the people in the crowd. I noticed Gaara and his date appearing from underneath the marble staircase, both flushed and a little dishevelled. Sighing, I tried not to be jealous.

"You guys used to have a thing?" Sasuke asked, appearing out of nowhere and startling me so badly I nearly spilt my champagne.

"Fucking hell, Sasuke," I swore, pressing and hand to my chest as my heart pounded. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

Sasuke leaned next to me on the pillar, his arms folded over his chest casually.

"No date tonight either, huh?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink. "I always hated coming to this sort of stuff alone."

"Ino sent me over here," Sasuke admitted. "She said she was sick of seeing me lurking."

"Ha! Typical Ino," I snorted, patting his shoulder sympathetically.

We lapsed into an awkward silence.

"Hey, do you wanna go dance?" I asked offhandedly. I fully expected him to flat out reject the idea, but after a moment of consideration, he agreed.

"Why not?" He took the champagne flute out of my hand and placed it on the nearest window sill. I gave him a charming smiled and held out my hand for him to take. Sasuke's hand felt cold in mine, but I didn't mind. I pulled him over to the dance floor and we found a space.

The alcohol I had consumed definitely helped me feel more relaxed about dancing, that was until a slow song came on. I hesitated as Sasuke stepped closer to me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Gaara and his date already intertwined. Sighing, I placed one hand on Sasuke's shoulder and the other in his hand. I shivered slightly as Sasuke placed his hand on my waist. For a moment, my feet felt clumsy and uncooperative, but Sasuke's grip was reassuring.

"Do you think she's pretty?" I asked as we swayed in time to the song. I looked shyly up at Sasuke. He knew right away that I had been talking about Gaara's date.

"I've seen prettier," Sasuke shrugged, spinning me out and pulling me close again. I blinked in surprise as my heart fluttered in response. I closed my eyes, pressing my body closer for a moment. It felt strangely comforting to be held so tightly.

"I'm not jealous of her," I stated as we moved together. Over Sasuke's right shoulder I could see them, Gaara and his girl next door type, pressed so tightly together they might as well have been screwing right there on the dance floor.

"You've got no reason to be," Sasuke agreed, his hand sliding just a little further down from my waist.

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking up at him through my lashes.

Hinata's p.o.v:

I watched from the drinks table as Sakura dragged Sasuke out onto the crowded dancefloor. I knew for a fact that Ino would have had something to do with it. I nudged my date in the ribs, diverting his attention away from the punch bowl.

"What?" Naruto asked, turning to look in the direction I was staring. "Oh."

"They're cute don't you think?" I asked him as we watched them falter at the prospect of slow dancing. I smiled, I had never known Sakura to be nervous, but I could tell by the look her face that my sister was flustered.

"Yeah, I guess," Naruto frowned. "It's just weird."

I rolled my eyes and continued to watch as our friends slow danced together. Naruto handed me a glass of the punch and I thanked him, feeling my cheeks heat up as he stared at me. Turning back to the dance floor I smiled as Sakura's face lit up.

Sakura's p.o.v:

"You're by far the most attractive women in this room," Sasuke replied. I laughed, it felt strange for him to compliment me. "What?"

"You're being nice to me," I replied, shaking my head. "You're never nice to me."

Sasuke's eyes glimmered darkly as he spun me around, holding me closer. I felt my breath catch in my throat, I was overcome with the feeling of someone staring at me through the crowd. Ignoring the sinister feeling, I focused on Sasuke as we moved in time to the music, our bodies pressed closely together. I felt my cheeks warm as Sasuke's hand began to slide down from my waist, gripping my ass firmly. I was about to chide him when we were interrupted.

"Hands off, Uchiha," Neji barked. Sasuke let me go almost instantly, holding his hands up. I stifled a giggle, glancing at Sasuke as I turned towards our gathering group of friends.

The ball was officially coming to an end and Ino was making her closing speech. I shuffled in excitement and anticipation of the oncoming afterparty. My sixth sense was prickling with the feeling that something incredibly exciting was about to happen.

* * *

 **Sweetopia: Hope you enjoyed this!**

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**

 **xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Sakura's p.o.v:

If Ino's Samhain Ball was the height of integrity, then her after party was the height of debauchery. Everywhere I looked people were engaged in all sorts of nefarious acts. There were more people flooding the dorms than had been at the ball, a fact which I would have thought would irk Ino, but she seemed pleased.

"I usually tell the riffraff to keep away from the ball," Ino explained as we made our way through the press of bodies. "Most of the incubi population aren't the type of people you'd want at a ball, but at a party…well," Ino's eyes glinted devilishly, her sharp teeth gleamed under the red mood lighting. Ino seemed perfectly at home in the dimly lit, crowded atmosphere.

I tried not to feel uncomfortable as I made my way through the crowded halls. The main dorm building was unlike the house which I lived in. These were built in an old sanitorium which had been part of the university a century ago. The whole of the top floor was open to the elements, with large balconies overlooking the gardens. The corridors were wide and the single rooms were small. The idea was that those who wished to participate in the party would leave their door open. I hadn't seen a single closed door since I arrived.

"This feels like an orgy," I muttered, watching as a group of students stumbled past, their hands and mouths all over each other.

I wished I had gone home to change, I thought as I felt the caress of a passer-by. I turned to complain to Ino, but she had disappeared into the crowd along with my other friends. With a frustrated sigh, I struggled to see over the crowd. Unable to find my friends I decided to retrace my steps. It was hot a sweaty in the press of bodies, and I desperately longed for fresh air.

"Hello petal," I heard over the noise of the party. The voice was so close I could feel the whisper of breath slipping down my spine. I knew exactly who it was. A hand grabbed my wrist before I could slip away and I was spun around.

"Professor," I forced a smile, hoping if I played nice then I could get away faster.

Itachi grinned down at me his hand still firmly grasping at my wrist.

"We were interrupted earlier," he began, leaning down to speak into my ear. I knew that it was only partly because of the noise. "There was so much more I wanted to discuss with you."

I felt a shove in my back and stumbled forwards. Itachi's arms wrapped around me reflexively and I struggled against them. I was in the grip of a predator. From behind me, I could hear laughter and I knew that it hadn't been an accident. Itachi's face was so close to mine I could almost feel his lips, we were millimetres apart. I knew that it would only take a second for him to close that gap. I had to keep my mind focused, or I would become influenced by him.

"Uh oh," I whispered, feeling a heady dizziness come over me. An Incubus' influence was a lot like having drunk too much wine. I could feel Itachi's satisfaction at having me so powerless and it gave me a new strength. I shoved him hard in the chest, fighting to get away. I could feel the panic rising in me like a wave, once it reached its peak there would be magical repercussions.

Itachi let me go and I stumbled back into the crowd. Freedom was, however, short-lived. It seemed that I had stumbled into a proverbial lion's den of Incubi. Once more there were hands on me, I struggled in their grip while others laughed. I had had too much to drink to keep my focus as sharp as it needed to be to fight one of them off let alone a group.

"Let go of me!" I shrieked. I could feel the energy building inside of me, it was only a matter of time before it all came spilling out. "Let go!"

"Oh, settle down will you, ugly?" one guy teased. I turned to glare at him and was struck by his similarity in appearance to the Uchiha brothers. It took a moment for his words to sink in.

"Ugly?" I spat. "Oh, I'm ugly, am I?"

The dark-haired guy grabbed my face, his fingers digging painfully into my jaw holding me still. I glared up at him, the pain was sending me into an emotional spiral. I heard the distinct sound of shattering glass and knew exactly what I had done. The grip on my jaw released and I pulled my arms free. Glaring at the circle of incubi who had surrounded me. I actually found myself wishing that I was still cornered by Itachi.

The beer bottle I had shattered had only bought me a few seconds, but it wasn't enough for me to get away.

"A witch?" one of the incubi scoffed. "No wonder she was so desperate to get away, Sai. We could kill her."

I shuddered at the thought, but he was right. One incubus would probably not do me much damage, but a group of them could take enough of my energy that I might die.

"My friends are looking for me," I replied, hoping that it was true. Surely someone would have noticed me missing by now.

"Sure they are, ugly," The Uchiha look-a-like, Sai, rolled his eyes. "Why don't you stay and party with us for a while? We'll show you a good time."

I laughed nervously, still looking for an easy escape. Despite their more relaxed approach, I knew to keep my guard up. Incubi weren't the most trustworthy of creatures, nor were they famously fond of witches. I peered into the crowd and locked eyes with Sasuke. He was across the room, but I was sure he had seen me.

"Uh, thanks, but I think I see my friend," I pointed into the crowd at Sasuke. Seeing their distraction, I made a break for it, shoving two of them aside. I hadn't made it more than two steps before I was dragged back again. "Ugh, hey! Get off!"

I struggled, flailing wildly. A short burst of magic popped inside me like a bubble and the bottle in Sai's hand shattered, sending shards of glass at the group. I winced as thin slivers sliced into my skin.

"You really, really should not have done that," Sai spat, his hand was dripping with bright red blood. The sight of it made me feel woozy. He reached out and wrapped his hand around my throat squeezing tightly. I felt the hot stickiness of his blood dripping down my neck. I coughed, my hands frantically trying to pry his fingers away from my throat. My vision blurred, but I could still see the wicked glint of Sai's sharp teeth as he watched me struggling for breath.

"Let her go," Sasuke demanded, breaking the circle.

I gasped, shocked by his sudden appearance. Sai relaxed his grip just enough for me to breathe, but his hand remained firmly around my throat. I gulped in breaths of air, relieved that Sasuke had seen me across the crowded corridor.

"Let her go, Sai," Sasuke repeated, his stance was relaxed, but his tone threatening. I glanced up at him feebly, sure that he would have something to say to me about getting myself into trouble. His glance flickered to me briefly, but his expression gave nothing away.

"Why?" Sai questioned, I could feel his fingers flex as he spoke. "Is she your pet now, Sasuke?"

Sasuke remained silent, the unimpressed look on his face unchanged by Sai's taunting. I swallowed hard and winced as Sai dug his thumb into the soft skin below my jaw. Clearly, I had stumbled into the middle of some rivalry. I tried not to move, but the pain was making me twitch. Sai watched Sasuke intently, hoping for a reaction.

"She's Ino's best friend," Sasuke warned, stretching the truth a little. Most of the time Ino barely tolerated me, I would just about say we were friends. Sai's grip loosened again, but he still did not let me go.

"It's true," I nodded, my eyes wide with fear. "She's my best friend."

"You shut up, ugly," Sai snapped his hand tightening again. "I think you're lying, but Sasuke seems interested in you."

"I'm his friend too," I gasped defiantly. "That's all. Just friends."

Sasuke shrugged and, to my dismay, turned to walk away. I struggled frantically as I watched Sasuke abandon me, wondering what I had said to make him just walk away. Sai rolled his eyes at me, suddenly seeming to lose interest. His hand relaxed and I sprawled backwards, tumbling to the floor as I pulled away. I scrambled to my feet, trying to ignore the laughter of Sai's cronies. Tentatively I backed away.

"Hey, Ugly," Sai called, I halted. "So obedient," he marvelled, pleased that I had actually stopped. Anyone in their right mind would have run away. "I'll have you when the Uchiha's get bored."

I shuddered, as Sai waved me away, his eyes glinting wickedly. I pushed myself through the crowd, barely holding back tears. I needed air. I fought blindly past the party goers, unsure which direction I was heading in, but hoping I would escape this nightmare. I was mostly oblivious to the havoc I was leaving in my wake, between the shattering bottles and levitating objects I was causing quite a stir. A strong arm curled around my waist and I fought against it, sick of constantly being manhandled.

"Sakura, calm down," Sasuke's voice murmured into my ear. I felt myself go limp with relief.

"I need air," I shouted to him. He released me, instead, he took hold of my hand, his fingers sliding easily between mine. I allowed him to walk me through the crowd. Within minutes we were out of the crowded corridors and on a large balcony which ran across the whole length of the building.

The cold of the night air hit me as we emerged from the sweaty press of bodies. Sasuke dropped my hand as soon as we were clear of the crowd. There were a few people on the balcony, but nowhere near to the amount which were packed into the corridors. I was grateful for the cold breeze.

My head was spinning and my throat was still sticky with Sai's blood. I scrubbed at it with the back of my hand. I knew I must look a mess, but after such a hellish hour I didn't care. It was a few moments before I calmed down enough to speak.

"Thank you," I croaked, my throat ached as I spoke.

Sasuke shrugged, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. I gave him a small smile and wandered up to the balcony railing. The old stonework was wide enough and just the right height to sit on. I sat down, feeling the cold stone through my dress. Sasuke followed suit at a cautious distance. I lifted my fingers to my neck, feeling the tender skin beneath my fingertips.

"What's Sai's problem?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, his calm expression breaking for a moment. "Did he hurt you?"

"I'm alright," I sighed, lying. I could still feel his fingers on my throat. "Just a mess," I chuckled, wiping away some more of the blood on my neck.

We sat in silence for a while. I felt awkward not that I had calmed down. My face felt numb and hot from the alcohol, but I was starting to sober up. I shifted, to cross my legs and felt myself tip precariously backwards. Sasuke's hand connected with the small of my back protectively.

"Hey, I'm alright," I laughed, feeling a little nervous at the flutter my heart gave when Sasuke's hand brushed against the skin of my back. Sasuke pulled his hand away but gave me a disbelieving look.

"You're drunk," he replied. "You've got in enough trouble tonight without falling off a fucking building."

I rolled my eyes, now _he_ was being dramatic.

"I'm fine, watch!" I stood up, stepping onto the balcony wall. I stood confidently, hands on my hips. A strange euphoria was taking over me.

* * *

"Naruto, stop!" Hinata gasped in between laughter.

Naruto and Hinata had tucked themselves away in one of the more secluded alcoves, nestled next to each other on a couch. Hinata felt her face glowing red as Naruto moved closer and she fiddled nervously with a strand of her hair. She had been waiting for him to kiss her all night, and as he leaned towards her, she knew this was it.

Hinata held her breath as she felt Naruto's lips touch hers, her heart hammering in her chest. Then, suddenly, she was overcome by a vision.

 _A cold wind rustled the trees deafeningly in the night. There was almost no light other than the light of the moon. The wide stretch of balcony was empty apart from two lovers, kissing up against the railing._

 _Hinata tried to focus herself, forcing herself to walk further, closer to the couple. Approaching in the vision felt like wading through fast flowing water._

 _As Hinata approached the couple, she began to recognise them. The flash of pink hair, Sakura. Hinata felt a wave of foreboding. Kissing her was Sasuke. Only, he wasn't kissing her anymore. His hands were wrapped around her neck. Sakura struggled, kicking and fighting._

 _Hinata watched in wordless horror as Sakura went limp._

"Hey, Hinata? Hinata? HINATA?"

Hinata was shocked by her vision.

"Are you alright? Naruto asked, his face lined with concern.

"I…" Hinata was struggling with the quick return to reality, the vision was still burned into the back of her mind.

"I'm sorry for kissing you," Naruto panicked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"I had a vision," Hinata mumbled, trying to get the image of Sakura's lifeless body out of her head. "Sasuke and Sakura…"

"Hm?" Naruto paused, his nervousness replaced with curiosity. "A vision? Are you serious?"

"I…I think Sasuke is going to kill Sakura," Hinata said slowly.

* * *

Sakura's p.o.v:

"Get down, idiot," Sasuke snapped. I stuck my tongue out at him balancing on one leg.

"Ohhhh, oh no, I'm going to fall!" I mocked.

"Sakura, you're not being funny," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

I ignored him, continuing with my bit. I danced around on the railing, laughing my ass off at myself. After a few minutes, I got bored and steadily tried to sit myself back down, only to lose my footing. I almost couldn't believe that it was happening as I toppled backwards.

My heel clipped the railing as I fell back from the balcony. The feeling of air rushing past me and the sounds of people screaming and shouting above overwhelmed me and it took me a moment to realise exactly what was happening. I focused on the rushing of the air, willing it to curve around me, cradling me, supporting me. I slowed to a halt six feet from the floor.

I looked up to see Sasuke staring down at me from the balcony as I remained suspended mid-fall. Now that I was out of immediate danger, embarrassment kicked in. More people were looking over the balcony edge now. Eager to be back on solid ground I urged the air to put me gently onto the floor.

Once I stepped foot on the ground, I turned and ran.

"I can't believe I just did that," I cursed at myself as I stumbled my way along the gravel path in my heels. The night chill was setting in as I made my way from the main dorm to my dorm house. It wasn't far, but the cold made it feel unbearable. The wind had picked up, whipping my dress around my legs and blowing my hair in my eyes. By the time I made it to the house I was shivering violently.

I pushed on the front door, but it wouldn't budge. I frowned and took a step back, sure that no one had locked it when we left. Pounding my fist on the door, I hoped that someone had come home early. There was no answer. I cursed, rubbing my arms frantically to keep warm.

This night had been one terrible thing after another. I had been felt up, choked, fallen off a balcony and now I was locked outside in the freezing cold. Swearing loudly, I slammed my fist into the door again.

"WHAT?" Gaara yelled as he pulled the front door open. I blinked in surprise, seeing him half-naked and covered in love bites. His angry expression softened when he saw me. I winced, knowing how awful I must have looked.

"I forgot to take a key," I said sheepishly. He stepped aside, letting me into the house and closing the door behind me.

There was a long awkward silence as we both stood in the entrance hall. I tried to fight the feeling of jealousy, knowing that he had a girl here.

"Are…are you alright?" Gaara asked, breaking the silence. I dreaded to think the state I looked, windswept, bruised and covered in someone else's blood. I reached up and rubbed my neck, feeling the imprints of Sai's fingers.

"Yeah," I said, though my voice was strained. "Yeah, I'm fine. Ino sure know how to throw a party huh?" Tears were stinging my eyes as I looked back on what a shitshow of an evening I had had. I turned away, heading for the stairs, hoping to get to my room before I burst into tears.

"Gaara, what's taking you so long? Are you coming back to bed?" I girls voice called down the stairs. I looked up to see Gaara's date practically skipping down the stairs towards me. She halted when she saw me. "Oh, Sakura, you're home early."

I looked at her with a frown, was she wearing my clothes? She was dressed in my nightgown, and my robe, I was sure of it. I turned to look at Gaara, my disgust barely contained.

"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"No, uh, Sakura…" Gaara began, but his face told me all I needed to know.

"Oh," I gasped. "Oh, Gaara that's sick! You perverted piece of shit!" I yelled. Turning to his date I saw the confusion in her eyes, she had no idea what was going on. "Oh my god, oh my god you didn't even tell her?"

"Tell me what?" his date asked, crossing her arms. I eyed her with pity. "Gaara what is going on? What is she talking about?"

"Those are my clothes," I hissed, speaking more to Gaara than the poor girl stood with me on the stairs. "Oh my god, this night could not get any worse."

As if on cue the front door opened as in stormed Ino, her pretty face contorted into a scowl. Not far behind her was Sasuke. I groaned, rubbing my face and trying to hold back a scream of frustration.

"You got into a fight with Sai?" Ino yelled at me.

"He was choking me!" I replied. "Ino look, I really don't have the time for this right now."

Naruto and Hinata were the next through the door.

"Great more people," I sighed.

"Woah, what's going on here?" Naruto asked as they approached the rest of the group.

The resulting cacophony of answers was so loud that I had to cover my ears.

"ALRIGHT!" I yelled, silencing the group. "Alright. Ino, whatever you're mad about, I'm sorry ok?" Ino backed down, but her face was still thunderous.

"You," I turned to Gaara. "You have some serious apologising to do!"

There was a long steely silence.

"I should go," Gaara's date muttered, creeping back upstairs.

* * *

 **Sweetopia: Hope you enjoyed. Please review!**

 **R &R**


	6. Chapter 6

The Season of the witch

Chapter 6

Previously:

 _"ALRIGHT!" I yelled, silencing the group. "Alright. Ino, whatever you're mad about, I'm sorry ok?" Ino backed down, but her face was still thunderous._

 _"You," I turned to Gaara. "You have some serious apologising to do!"_

 _There was a long steely silence._

 _"I should go," Gaara's date muttered, creeping back upstairs._

* * *

Sakura's p.o.v:

On the brink of tears, I stormed up the stairs, hearing the explosion of arguments behind me. I slammed my bedroom door, blinking away tears. Furiously, I noticed my wardrobe was open – from where Gaara had looted my nightgown for his date to wear. The thought of it made me want to go back downstairs and beat the crap out of him, but I restrained myself.

I tried to avoid catching sight of myself in the mirror as I stripped off my dress and got into the shower. Gently, I washed Sai's blood from my neck, feeling my bruised skin. I could still feel the pressure of his grip around my throat. I knew the bruises would take time to fade, and I was sure that Sai would get a kick out of seeing them.

After showering, I crawled, naked, into my bed wanting to forget everything that had happened.

The next morning, I woke up late. In my haste to make it to breakfast in time, I forgot all about the arguments from the previous evening. I pulled on whatever random clothing I could find in the drawers, knowing that I could change later since it was a Saturday, and hurried from the house to the dining hall. It was only when I burst through the doors and was confronted with whispered gossip and the intense stares of my friends that I remembered.

Trying to ignore the stares of the other students, I held my head high and went to get some breakfast. My stomach dropped as I saw Sai in line ahead of me, his hand wrapped in bandages. Though I tried my hardest to avoid it, he caught my eye – a wicked grin on his face. I was glad that I had worn a high-necked shirt, so he couldn't see the marks he had left on me. I looked down at my tray, worried that he would come over to speak with me. Deciding that I had enough food, I hurried back to the section of the table which was occupied by my friends.

I slid onto the bench in silence, not wanting to look any of my friends in the eyes. The tension was palpable as we all sat in silence. After a few minutes, I snuck a glance across the table at Naruto, who looked as though he was bursting to talk. Seeing me looking at him, Naruto broke down and began blabbering in a desperate attempt to fill the silence.

"Naruto, shut up," Ino snapped, her sharp teeth flashing menacingly between her lips. Naruto fell silent.

"Ino," I began, ignoring the sharp look she shot my way. "Do you want to talk about what's wrong?"

There was a long pause, a collective holding of breath as we waited for Ino's response. I half expected her to launch across the table and attack me, but instead, she broke down in tears.

"Shikamaru broke up with me," she wailed, her voice almost too high for me to hear.

The tension was broken, and we all rushed to comfort her.

"What happened?" Tenten asked, cracking her knuckles.

"He…he…" Ino took a deep breath trying to compose herself. "He thinks that I like Sai. Just because I got mad that Sakura and Sasuke got in a fight with him last night."

I winced guiltily.

"It's not your fault," Ino sighed, looking at me with an equally guilty expression. "Sai's a jerk. A hugely influential jerk, but still a jerk. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"If it helps," I began, "I don't think it'll have any impact on you, Ino. I'm pretty sure the only reason I'm even alive right now is because I know you."

Ino frowned, her perfect brow furrowing in confusion. The group leaned in, waiting for me to elaborate.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Naruto asked, his usually cheerful tone was serious.

"I'm pretty sure Sai was going to kill me," I kept my voice low, not wanting anyone to overhear. "I was pretty much done for until Sasuke showed up." I looked up, waiting for him to corroborate my story, but realised that he wasn't sat with us. "Wait, where is he?"

"He didn't come down this morning, I'm assuming he has a hangover," Neji replied. "You don't seriously think that Sai was going to kill you, do you?"

Maybe I had been overreacting? I thought back to the moment Sai had grabbed me, his bloody hand squeezing my throat until I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. The bruises on my neck burned.

I pulled the collar of my shirt down, revealing the deep purple welts the stained my neck. They were so distinct that you could make out individual fingers. Now that the bruising had had time to develop, it looked even worse than it had the night before. There was a collective gasp. Neji stood up, his fist striking the table. Hinata and Tenten reached out to him, urging him to sit back down.

"You need to report this," Hinata's voice quaked as she spoke.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. Sai said…" She stopped herself, her hand covering her mouth in disgust. It took her a moment before she spoke again. "He said that you had argued and that you broke a bottle and ran away."

"Yeah well, he missed a few parts of the story out," I pulled my collar back up and pushed my tray away from me, no longer hungry. "I did break the bottle in his hand, but I couldn't control it, it just sort of happened when he and his cronies wouldn't let me leave. Then the next thing I know he was choking me."

I shuddered. I hadn't realised just how close to death I had come.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ino asked, her face pale and her eyes wide.

"You were really angry with me and then Gaara was…" I trailed off, noticing that Gaara too had wisely kept his distance this morning.

"Gaara was what?" Naruto leaned forward in his seat. "You seemed really mad with him when we came home."

"Oh, I uh," I fumbled for something to say. "I don't think I should say…"

The group seemed disappointed at my reluctance to share the gossip. I looked at them as they raised their eyebrows, and decided that they were only going to jump to conclusions if I didn't tell them.

"Oh, alright," I sighed. "I came home and Gaara was clearly in the middle of fucking that girl he brought to the dance-"

"And you were jealous?" Tenten speculated before I could finish. I rolled my eyes at her, even though she was partly right.

"No," I groused, "I couldn't care less if he was sleeping with someone else. My problem with it was that he had her dressed up in my nightgown while he was fucking her."

There was a long pause.

"EWWWWW!" Naruto yelled loudly, summing up the disgusted expression shared by the rest of the group. I sat back and crossed my arms, feeling vindicated.

* * *

The weekend passed without any further incident, though I didn't see Sasuke or Gaara the entire time, and by the time Monday rolled around I was beginning to think the whole thing had been blown out of proportion.

I was waiting outside of my History of Magic class early on Monday morning, I had skipped breakfast to wait outside the door in the hope that I would run into Gaara. The corridor was deserted and I leaned against the door, my stomach growling hungrily. I ignored my hunger and fiddled with the collar of my dress. It was just high enough that it covered the purple bruising on my neck. I checked my reflection in the glass panel of the door, tugging at the lace collar to check that it hadn't slipped down.

Despite the urging of my friends, I didn't want any of the staff to find out about the incident at the afterparty. It wasn't worth drawing attention to myself if Sai found out that I had told I was fairly certain that he would be less than forgiving. Instead, I chose to hide the marks until they faded away. Confident that my neck was fully covered, I turned away from the door and leaned against the wall. I had twenty minutes until class started and I was sure that I would bump into Gaara by then.

My patience paid off. I spotted Gaara at the end of the corridor before he had had the chance to notice me and sneak away. He eyed me apprehensively as he approached me. I pushed myself off the wall and held my hand up in greeting.

"Hey," I said softly.

"Hey, Sakura."

There as an awkward pause.

"About the other night, I can explain…" Gaara began.

"No! No please," I interrupted him. "Please don't explain. Whatever it was I just want you to know that I still want to be your friend, ok?"

Gaara's face was red, but he nodded seeming relieved that he didn't have to talk any more about it. We fell silent again, the awkwardness still hanging over us.

"Are you ok? I heard what happened to you," Gaara asked, running a hand through his hair. "Ino told me all about it. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," I replied, my hand instinctively reaching for my collar. "I'm alright though."

"You should tell someone…Tsunade maybe?"

"I don't think so, Gaara," I sighed, tired of explaining myself. "I don't want to provoke him. Besides, I don't think he'll try anything again."

The conversation fell silent and we waited uncomfortably until other students began to arrive. Despite the fact that we had just made up I could feel the rift between us and it felt as deep as it had ever been. I was relieved when other students began to fill the corridor.

History of Magic passed uneventfully and I packed up my notes ready to head to potions. Stepped out of the classroom and was surprised to see Sasuke waiting for me in the corridor. I hadn't seen him since the night of the ball, and I hadn't spoken to him since I had fallen off of the balcony and ran away from him. At first, I wondered if he was waiting for someone else, but he pushed himself off of the wall as I approached.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice low. I looked up at him shyly, knowing that I had embarrassed myself in front of him so many times already. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure."

I followed him from down the corridor, keeping my eyes on the floor a few feet ahead of me. It was a few minutes until I realised that we weren't heading in the direction of the potions classroom. I looked up to see an empty stretch of corridor in what looked to be an abandoned part of the college. Confused I slowed to a halt.

"Sasuke, what are we doing here?"

"You need to tell Tsunade about Sai," Sasuke said bluntly.

I crossed my arms over my chest, not this again. Over the weekend I had had this conversation with every single one of my friends, and now Sasuke was lecturing me too. Seeing my reluctance Sasuke shook his head, his usually stoic face marred with an annoyed frown.

"I mean it, Sakura. He'll do it again," he said firmly.

"No, he won't," I implored. "Besides, I'm fine. It'll just cause more trouble if I report it."

Sasuke snorted in disbelief. I knew that he could see right through my act. I might have been able to pretend to the others that I was fine, but Sasuke had been there to witness it. He knew how badly I was hurting.

I slumped back against the wall of the narrow corridor, defeated. I could feel the tears prickling in my eyes, but I tried to hold them back.

"I can't tell anyone," I muttered. I was terrified that if I said anything Sai would find a way to get to me.

 _I'll have you when the Uchiha's get bored_ …

…The words sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn't forget them. I was sure that Sai would make good on his threat though I wasn't sure why he had singled me out as a target. Sasuke and I weren't even close, and I was fairly certain that Itachi acted like that around every pretty young student.

I tugged at my collar, a nervous habit which was developing alarmingly quickly. I could feel Sasuke's judging gaze on me, but I didn't dare to look up at him.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked. Suddenly, his hand was bushing away my hair. I flinched, shocked by the unexpected contact.

"A little," I admitted, though I was underexaggerating. Since Friday, the bruising had only grown darker and more tender. It felt like it would never heal. Sasuke reached out to me again, this time more slowly. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

"Can I see?"

I nodded, my hand reaching for the buttons on the back of my dress. Once I had loosened the top few buttons the collar of my dress pulled easily away from my neck, exposing the ugly bruising. Sasuke's mouth tightened into a sympathetic grimace as he gently probed the skin with his fingertips. I bit my lip as his fingers touched my neck, my heart hammering as if he were going to wrap his hand around it any second.

Sasuke pulled his hand away, crossing his arms, and I let out a breath that I didn't realise that I had been holding.

"Thank you," I blurted, I felt my cheeks grow warm as a blush spread across my cheeks.

"You're welcome," he replied, a strange look coming over his face. He looked down at me, a slight frown on his face, as though he wasn't sure what had come over him.

I reached to re-fasten the buttons of my dress, but Sasuke's hand slammed mine into the wall, pinning it above my shoulder. I let out a cry of alarm. Sasuke looked just as surprised as I was. I opened my mouth to speak, but Sasuke pulled away and walked quickly away.

"Sasuke!" I called after him, not wanting to be left behind in an unfamiliar part of campus. He ignored me and kept walking. I ran after him, reaching out and catching his arm. "What's wrong?"

Before I realised what was happening, my back slammed into the door of the nearest classroom.

"Back off, Sakura," Sasuke growled, his dark eyes seemed lit with a dark fire. I struggled beneath his grip. This was the first time I had seen Sasuke look anything other than human. My heart hammered as I tried to figure out what had caused Sasuke to have such a violent reaction. I could feel his heavy breath on my neck as he leaned his head against the wall beside me. He seemed to shake as he tried to regain control of himself. I tried to remain as still as possible.

After what seemed like hours, Sasuke pulled away, his face composed as usual. My heart was hammering in my chest.

"Tell Tsunade about Sai," Sasuke warned. "Or I will."

I hesitated at the door to Tsunade's office, trying to work up the courage to knock. After Sasuke's alarming warning, I had hurried here immediately. I glanced around, hoping that no one was watching me, and knocked on the office door.

There was a pause.

"Come in, Sakura," Tsunade called. I wasn't surprised that she knew it was me.

I opened the door and stepped inside, swiftly shutting the door behind me. Tsunade looked up from the papers on her desk expectantly. Her gaze flitted over me, lingering on the high collar of my dress. With a sigh, I unbuttoned the top of my dress, baring the bruises and told her what had happened. When I was finished, she gestured for me to take a seat.

"I'm surprised it took you this long to come and tell me," Tsunade said calmly.

"You…You knew?"

"Of course, Sakura," she replied with a disapproving nod. "You don't honestly think I wouldn't know what goes on in my school."

I shook my head, unsure what to say next.

"I'll keep my eye on him," Tsunade continued. "For now, let me heal your neck. Those will take a long time to heal on their own."

I reached up and rubbed my neck, wincing at the tenderness of the skin. It would feel good to have them healed. I sat back and allowed her to examine my neck. Her fingers were surprisingly gentle as she pressed and probed my skin, murmuring incantations under her breath. With each word, the pain was alleviating and by the time she was finished I was unsure how I had managed to cope.

I thanked her as I rebuttoned my dress. She waved her hand in dismissal and I snuck out of the office, glancing at the clock on the wall as I passed, I was just in time for lunch.

My stomach gurgled at the prospect of food and I hurried to the dining hall, ignoring the curious glances and not so quiet whispers from other students as I passed. I was almost certain that everyone had heard about the events of Friday night whether it be my fight with Sai or my fall from a third story balcony. Deciding that it was better to just ignore the gossip, I pretended not to hear it.

The dining hall was relatively empty when I arrived. There was no sign of my friends as I settled myself on the benches with my tray piled high with food. Too hungry to wait for them to show up, I started to devour the mountain of food glad that it no longer hurt to swallow. I was five minutes into my meal when there was a tap on my shoulder. I turned around a smile on my face, expecting to see my sister or one of my friends.

"Hey there, Ugly."

My smile faltered as Sai loomed over me. He smiled down at me, his dark eyes empty and menacing. I moved to stand up, but his hand on my shoulder pushed me back into my seat.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you," he sounded bored by the prospect of refraining from doing so. "You're all alone. Where's Uchiha?"

I swallowed hard, looking around me in the hopes that someone would intervene but no one was paying us any attention. I kept quiet, hoping that he would leave me alone.

"Oh, come on now, why are you being so shy? Where's that fighting spirit?" he asked, still grinning creepily at me. I felt entranced by him, my mind was wandering and I couldn't think of anything to say. Sai's grin widened at my compliance.

"Leave me alone, Sai," I said meekly. He laughed in response, amused by just how pathetic I sounded. I tried to struggle, but my body felt heavy, unwilling to respond to my panic.

Sai's firm grip on my shoulder, tightened as he leaned closer. My eyes widened in alarm, no one was watching as he stooped down to whisper into my ear.

"If you ever resist me again, you'll get a lot more than bruises-"

"Hey!" Naruto yelled from across the room. Sai pulled back with a smile, and walked away calmly, giving my friend's a wave as he walked away. I remained fixed in my seat, unable to move. "Sakura! Are you alright?"

"Sakura?" Hinata shook my shoulder gently, pulling me out of whatever trance I had been subjected to. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, thank fuck you guys are here," I gasped, shaking.

Naruto, Hinata and Tenten swapped worried looks as they sat down around me in a protective group.

"What did Sai want?" Tenten asked, wringing her hands angrily.

"To warn me," I said. My heart was racing. "I think he's trying to use me to get to Sasuke."

"To Sasuke?" Hinata frowned. "They've never gotten along before, but why would he use you to do that?"

I paused, thinking back to the way Sasuke had acted this morning.

"I don't know," I sighed. It was true, I didn't know the reason why, but I knew that it was working. I looked over my shoulder, Sai was sitting amongst a group of incubi, his eyes fixed on me intently.

* * *

 **Sweetopia: Hope you liked this chapter. I will be updating fairly regualry over the next few months. If you liked this story then please leave a comment and/or go check out my other stories!**

 **Thanks!**

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	7. Chapter 7

The Season of the Witch

7.

Sakura's p.o.v:

There was a tension lingering in the air as November passed. The weather grew colder and the perpetually grey skies shrouded the college in mist. The gothic buildings looked ominous in the daily gloom, taking on a sinister quality. Weeks had passed in a grey blur, one fading into the next with no break in the clouds.

The gloomy weather didn't help to improve my mood. Since Samhain, I had grown increasingly paranoid. Everywhere I went it seemed that Sai was only a few steps behind and the rest of the student body was starting to notice. I could hear them whispering as I passed, whispering which hadn't stopped since the night of the ball.

I had grown reluctant to travel anywhere on campus alone, my fear only increasing with each day Sai continued to watch me. I was waiting for the day he would finally make his move. Despite my fear, I refused to speak about it. Instead, I made excuses to stay at home or tag along with anyone who would walk with me.

It was a Wednesday evening in late November when I found myself alone in the dark campus grounds. I was making my way from a private tutoring session with Tsunade, which had continued longer than I had expected, to the dining hall to quickly get something to eat.

I pulled the collar of my coat up against the wind and hurried down the dark path which led straight through the centre of the campus grounds. It was a well-travelled route, but in the middle of dinner, there was no one else around. My muscles ached, protesting with each step I took, and my head throbbed. Training with Tsunade had only increased in difficulty as the weeks had progressed, but I didn't dare complain. I had less than a week until I was scheduled to sit my grading exam and I was determined to at least move up a grade.

Despite the cold wind, the heavy fog refused to lift obscuring my view in all directions. I tried not to feel nervous as I thought about what or who could be lurking out in the dark, but I quickened my pace. The sound of my shoes striking the cobbled walkway echoed all around me, mimicking a second set of footsteps. My heart raced, but I was quick to calm it. I slowed, listening as the echoing grew fainter. Taking a deep breath, I continued through the dark. I considered casting a lighting spell to illuminate the path but figured it would only draw attention to me as I wandered alone. Instead, I trusted my feet not my eyes to guide me.

It was fifteen minutes into the forty-minute walk across the campus, and by my estimations, I was about to come upon the fountain at the centre of the grounds. The fog had grown denser as I made my way down a slight hill, obscuring the fountain from view until I was a few feet away. Knowing that I had made it almost halfway to the dining hall I tried to relax.

The echoing of my footsteps not longer unnerved me and I strode a little more comfortably as the path lead me uphill and the fog dissipated slightly. The soft tendrils of mist seemed to curl around me as I passed, like hands reaching out to touch me. I shivered, brushing the mist free of my clothes. Through the haze, I could see lights ahead. I broke into a light jog, eager to be among my friends.

I was minutes away from the dining hall when I heard someone call out my name. Wide-eyed, I turned, scanning the foggy landscape. There was no one in sight.

Brushing it off as my paranoid imagination, I took a few more steps towards the dining hall.

"Sakura!"

I froze in place, knowing that it wasn't just my mind playing tricks on me. I spun slowly, straining my eyes to see through the gloom. The glare of the distant lights did nothing to help pierce the veil of fog which had wrapped itself around me.

"Hello?" I called out, hearing the shrillness of my voice. I winced at how loud it sounded. There was no reply, only the whistling of the wind as it blustered past me swirling the fog in its path.

Losing my composure, I turned and ran. I kept running until the lights of the dining hall broke through the darkness, illuminating the courtyard in warm light. Outside a few students milled around, watching curiously as I came to a halt outside. Breathing hard, I cast a glance back over my shoulder, half expecting someone to see Sai immerging from the fog, but no one was there.

I ignored the less than subtle whispering between a group of succubi who were loitering in the courtyard. They stared openly as I passed. I touched my neck self-consciously. The marks had long faded from my skin, but they still burned below the surface.

Pushing the door to the dining hall opened, I took a moment to shake off the cold while I hung my coat in the lobby. Through the glass panelled doors, I could see my friends gathered on a stretch of bench close to the food table. A sense of relief washed over me at the sigh of them. A sense which was almost instantly extinguished when I noticed that Sai lurking close by. He was sat close to the door, his group of demonic friends in tow.

Summoning my courage, I pulled the door open and stepped into the crowded hall. The noise of hundreds of students talking and laughing washed over me, but I remained focused knowing that I was going to have to walk past Sai to get to my friends. A fact which I was sure Sai had planned.

Though Sai hadn't spoken to me in weeks, he had become a menacing presence keen to remind me that he wasn't going away any time soon. I bit my lip and held my head high as I walked between two tables. I hurried, walking as quickly as I dared without drawing attention to myself, hoping to get passed Sai while he was distracted laughing at his friend's jokes. I barely made it within five feet of them when one of them spotted me.

"Hi there, Ugly," Sai smiled, turning in his seat as I approached. "Come to sit with us?"

I ignored him, stepping closer to the other row of benches as I passed.

"Don't be rude, Ugly," Sai warned, as I walked away from him. I had anticipated something worse than that, I thought as I moved towards my friends. Still, I didn't dare look back. Giving my friends a swift wave, I went to fill my plate before re-joining them.

"Hey Sakura, how come you're so late?" Hinata asked as I squished myself between Naruto and Gaara, trusting them to keep me out of harm's way.

"Mmh, Tsunade had me training late," I replied as I shoved a handful of fries into my mouth. I decided not to mention the terrifying walk back from the old part of campus, or my imagination getting the best of me in the dark.

The conversation moved on and I listened intently as my friends chatted about their day. It seemed that the gloomy weather hadn't dampened their spirits, they were as lively as ever. I, on the other hand, remained quiet. There was still some residual awkwardness between me and some of the group. Gaara and I had barely look at each other since the ball, each as embarrassed as the other, while Sasuke had become reclusive and moody even for him and Ino, though she had successfully repaired her relationship with Shikamaru, still felt guilty about how she had acted.

I ate quietly, nodding along with the conversation as I did. In the back of my mind, I could feel Sai's gaze linger on me just a fraction too long as he watched our group from further down the table. I tried to hide behind Gaara, a move which didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you alright?" he whispered as the rest of the group continued to talk over us. I angled myself towards him, catching Sai's pervasive gaze as I did.

"He's watching me," I replied, keeping my voice low. Gaara turned to look in the direction I was staring and quickly turned back to me, his face suddenly serious. "Just, block me a little?"

"Sure."

Gaara turned his back to Sai and leaned onto the table, hiding me from view as subtly as he could. I reached under the table and squeeze his hand gratefully. It felt nice to touch him again, I noted as he squeezed back.

"Are you nearly done Sakura?" Ino asked as if she was repeating herself, and I realised that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the conversation.

"Uh," I looked down at my still half-full plate and contemplated leaving it, but my stomach rumbled in protest. "No, not yet."

"You guys go ahead if you're tired," Gaara suggested, seeing Ino's annoyance. "I'll wait here while Sakura finishes up."

"Hn, I'll stay," Sasuke said. I looked up at him surprised, it was the first time I had heard him speak all evening. He watched me with an unreadable expression across the table. "You can go too."

Gaara's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "We'll both stay."

Ino and the others agreed, waving goodbye as they left.

The three of us sat in awkward silence as I hurried to finish the rest of my food. I blushed self-consciously as Sasuke and Gaara tried to avoid looking directly at me. I finished my food as fast as I could, the awkwardness providing me with enough of a distraction from Sai's constant observation.

"Ok," I pushed my plate away. "I'm done. We can go now."

I followed Gaara's lead, with Sasuke climbing over the table smoothly to follow close behind. I felt much more secure as we approached Sai, but the way he smiled at me filled me with dread. The feeling of Sasuke's hand on my waist startled me. He moved closer, his arm holding me protectively as we walked up to Sai.

"Sasuke," Sai greeted, a wicked glint in his eyes as he watched us walk past. I glanced up to gage Sasuke's reaction. Sasuke ignored him, but I saw the brief flicker of annoyance oh his face. He looked down at me for a moment before pushing me forward. I held my breath until we were safely in the lobby. Sasuke let go of my waist and I stepped away, putting a more comfortable distance between us.

I grabbed my coat, slipping my arms into it and wrapping tightly around myself in anticipation of the cold.

"Ugh, that guy is such a fucking creep," Gaara complained, as he pulled on his jacket. "He's still staring."

I looked back through the glass doors and Sai raised his glass shooting me a sly smirk. Shaking my head, I was unable to take my eyes off of him.

"Ignore him," Sasuke instructed, shoving his hands in his pockets. I nodded, following them both out of the door into the frigid November night. We walked quietly through the fog, ditching the main path to take a shortcut across the gardens to the dorms. The shortcut took us down a narrow winding path, which I would never have taken on my own, but it cut our journey time in half.

The cold wind numbed my cheeks and fingers in minutes, the temperature had dropped significantly in the short time we had been inside. I rubbed my hands together before shoving them in my pockets. Gaara slowed his pace, and he fell into step beside me.

"You, alright?" he asked, watching me as I shivered.

"Just cold," I murmured. I looked enviously at Sasuke who seemed unaffected by the cold, walking casually behind us with no jacket on. Gaara wrapped an arm around my shoulders, rubbing my arm in an attempt to warm me up. I tensed, feeling awkward by the sudden intimacy. "T-thanks."

I looked over my shoulder at Sasuke, who raised his eyebrow at me.

We approached the dorms and I rushed to the front door, fumbling in my pockets for my keys. I frowned, stepped back from the door and patted my coat pockets. I was almost certain my keys had been in my pocket when I had left this morning.

"What's the hold-up?" Sasuke asked as he caught up to us by the front door. I was still pulling at my coat, trying to feel for my keys.

"I can't find my keys."

Gaara rolled his eyes in response and dug his keys out of his jacket pocket and unlocked the front door for me. He hurried inside, eager to be out of the cold. I was about to follow when I paused in the doorway and turned back to Sasuke, my lost keys forgotten.

Sasuke had loitered outside the house, waiting until I had got inside before he walked next door. I took the latch off the door and shut it gently behind me, stepping out of the warmth. Sasuke watched me silently, waiting in the freezing cold as I made my way down the steps again. I had been waiting for a chance to be alone with him for some time, for some reason he had been avoiding me recently. At first, I had been confused and a little upset by Sasuke's reluctance to spend any time alone with me, but after a few weeks it had grown irritating.

"Hey," I began, approaching him slowly. "Thanks for walking me home."

I watched him as he stood in the cold night air, perfectly relaxed, in just a t-shirt and jeans. He folded his arms across his chest and shrugged without replying. I sighed deeply, I had a feeling that this would happen if I tried to talk to him.

"Ok, I guess I'll go inside," I tried to control my urge to roll my eyes and turned back towards the door, unsure what I had been expecting. His moodiness was beginning to grate on me. In the few weeks leading up to Samhain, I thought Sasuke and I had formed some foundation of a friendship, but I had clearly been mistaken. I had tried not to let it bother me, but this seemed to be the final straw. I lost my temper before I had even made it to the steps. "Alright, what did I do?"

Sasuke looked dumbstruck as I yelled at him suddenly. Had I been in a more forgiving mood I would have left it there and gone inside, but I had finally had enough.

"What?"

"What did I do?" I asked, crossing my arms angrily. "I clearly did something because you won't even speak to me."

"I've just been speaking to you," Sasuke responded, which only infuriated me more. I stormed back over to him.

"Don't be smart with me. You know what I mean!" I prodded him in the chest accusatorially. "So go on. What is it? What did I do?"

Sasuke remained silent, his face unimpressed while he considered his answer. Up until that moment, I had only thought there was a small possibility that it was me who had done something wrong, but his silence shook my confidence. Had I done something to make him mad at me? If I had, I sure was being a jerk about it. My temper faltered and I backed down taking a step back. I waited, suddenly anxious, for him to answer.

"Are you done?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling foolish.

"I'm sorry for yelling, I-"

"Good night, Sakura," Sasuke cut me off as he began to walk away.

"For fuck sake," I cursed under my breath, annoyed with myself for bringing it up and making to situation ten times worse.

I spent the rest of the evening curled up in my room. I huddled under blankets, studying for my upcoming exam. Enjoying the warmth of my home after so long out in the cold. In the quiet comfort of my room, I began to relax, unaware of how tense I had become through the day. My joints ached and I could count the number of fresh bruises I had accumulated throughout the day. I would be glad when my training with Tsunade was over, I concluded as I checked myself over.

Downstairs I could hear laughter. My friends were all gathered downstairs in the lounge, drinking as usual. Their rowdiness jolted my concentration, bringing me back to reality. I rubbed my tired eyes, closing the grimoire I had been studying. A quick glance at the clock was all it took before I decided it was time to go to bed. Abandoning my books on my desk, I unwrapped my blanket from around me and carried it over to my bed, throwing it over the covers before climbing in between the sheets.

I was exhausted but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't manage to fall asleep. After almost an hour of tossing and turning, I sat up. My room was lit with the faintest of moonlight as the clouds above had thinned. I was hopeful that this would mean a break in the desolate weather. I debated continuing with my work, but I was fairly sure that my brain wouldn't be able to function well enough to understand any of the complex laws of magic written in the grimoire. With a sigh, I climbed out of bed and slipped a silk robe on over my nightgown.

The laughter had quieted downstairs and I had heard people going to bed not long before. I opened my bedroom door and sneaked down the stairs as quietly as I could manage. I paused in the lobby, the wooden floor creaking beneath my feet, and listened to see if I anyone had heard me get up. In the lounge, there was a bottle of whiskey which would provide the perfect cure for my insomnia. Certain that no one else had heard me, I gently pushed the door to the lounge open. The fire had burned low in the grate but still provided me with enough light to see by. I made my way over to the drinks cabinet beside the fire and retrieved a glass and the bottle, which belonged to Gaara. Pouring myself a generous helping of liquor, I replaced the bottle in the cabinet and took a slow sip.

The whiskey burned my throat as I swallowed, but the warmth that spread through my chest was a worthwhile sensation. I pulled the poker from the rack beside the fire and prodded the embers back to life. I whispered an incantation to the flames as I picked up another log and set it gently onto the glowing embers, encouraging them to take hold. With the fire crackling and whiskey in hand, I moved around the couch to sit down.

"Hi, Sakura."

I screamed in alarm, almost dropping my drink to the floor. Gaara was lounging on the couch, laid flat out, reading one of the numerous antique books which were kept on the shelves around the room.

"Have you been in here this whole time?" I gasped, pressing my hand to my chest as my heart began to settle.

"Yep," Gaara chuckled, sitting up and patting the seat next to him. I sat down slowly, watching him guiltily as I took a sip of his whiskey. "Can't sleep?" He guessed.

I nodded, tucking my feet up underneath me. The warm firelight glinted off of Gaara's red hair as he turned to look at me. Our eyes met and I looked away quickly, uncomfortable with the way he was looking at me. Self-consciously, I adjusted my robe and took another sip of my drink.

"Sakura-"

"Gaara-"

We both began speaking at the same time.

"You go," I laughed nervously.

"I was just gonna say that," Gaara paused and shifted in his seat. "I know you said that you didn't want to talk about it, but about...after the Samhain party...that was really awful of me. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I know I made things weird between us. I just..."

He trailed off and I bit my lip, waiting for him to continue.

"I just...I like you and things have been different between us since you came here. Seeing you, just makes me want to..." He kissed me before I had time to react, pushing me back onto the couch. The swiftness of the moment made me spill my drink and I gasped as the whiskey soaked into my nightgown. I let go of the glass which fell to the floor with a loud clatter. Gaara didn't even flinch. I struggled to figure out what I was thinking, as Gaara's hand slid up my thigh, pulling up my nightgown. I found myself kissing back reflexive, it had been such a long time since I had been with someone and Gaara was so familiar to me. I dragged my fingers down his back and he pulled away, leaning down to kiss my neck.

"Gaara," I gasped as he pulled at my underwear, "we can't do this here."

"Shhh," he whispered in my ear before kissing me again. I stifled a giggle, this was just like old times. We used to get pretty daring before I came to the college, and I was used to having it quick and dirty in way more public places than this. The spontaneity of the situation made me forget the weirdness between us and for the first time in weeks I felt truly relaxed.

Gaara unzipped his jeans, his breathing heavy against my neck. I closed my eyes and let a moan escape my lips as Gaara pushed himself between my thighs. He sucked in a breath as he pushed me down against the sofa. We moved frantically, and though we tried to be quiet, a few moans escaped my lips. I let out a particularly loud gasp and Gaara clamped his hand over my mouth.

The door to the lounge opened and the lights switched on. It took me a moment to realise there was someone else in the room. I sat up quickly, pushing Gaara off of me.

"Sasuke!" I yelped.

Sasuke was stood in the doorway, a confused frown on his face as he surveyed the scene in front of him.

"This isn't...I mean, we weren't," I glanced over to Gaara who seemed much less aghast, instead he looked rather smug as he watched Sasuke processing. My underwear was anding off of the back of the sofa, I reach out and grabbed them shoving them into my pocket.

"I...I found your keys," Sasuke said bluntly. "They were on the grass outside. You must have dropped them this morning."

"T-thank you."

"I should go," Sasuke said, as much to himself as to me. He dropped the keys onto the side table before he turned and left.

"Shit!" I groaned, pressing my face into my hands. Gaara was watching me expectantly as if he was expecting to continue from when we had been interrupted. "Oh god, this was a mistake."

I stood up and hurried for the door.

"Oh, Sakura," Gaara called after me. "Don't be like that!"

* * *

 **Sweetopia: Something juicy for y'all there! Hope you liked it! I haven't proofread this yet as it is late and I have several other chapters I want to write tonight and I wanted to post so please forgive me. If you liked this story, check out some of my others!**

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	8. Chapter 8

The Seasons of The Witch

8.

Sakura p.o.v:

"Sasuke!" I yelled, running bare foot down the front steps of the dorm. Wet grass stuck to my feet and legs as I chased after Sasuke. In my nightgown the cold air stung my skin, I could feel it caressing my cheeks as I hurried along the lawns desperate to catch up to him.

"Sasuke!"

He paused briefly, as if contemplating turning around, and then continued. I quickened my pace. The cold air hurt my lungs as I gasped for breath. I skidded and slipped over the wet ground.

"Sasuke, wait!" I yelled again. "Please just, wait a second!"

I was gaining on him. By now we were well out of the well-lit front lawns of the dorm houses and the swirling blackness of the school grounds threatened to absorb us both. In my desperation to catch up to Sasuke, I ran blindly into the dark night and the descending mist with no second thought.

"Sasuke!" He was so close to me now. I reached out my hand for him, my feet sliding on the ground as I tried to slow down. I collided with Sasuke's arm, grabbing the back of his shirt to steady myself.

Within seconds Sasuke had turned around, pushing me away. I looked up at his face and my blood ran cold.

"What? What do you want?" he growled, looking straight at me with smouldering back eyes. He took a step or two forward, but I held my ground, gritting my teeth. His eyes were darker than the blackness that surrounded us and his expression was chilling.

"I…" I faltered, unsure really why I had chased him down. "I…"

Sasuke shook his head, and turned to walk away.

"Why are you mad?" I blurted. Sasuke paused, turning back around. It was clear I had struck a nerve, and I was genuinely curious – why was he so angry with me?

"Why are you mad about me and Gaara?" I asked again, crossing my arms. I was freezing, my nightgown offered no protection from the chill. My feet were numb and slick with mud, but I refused to lose the upper hand.

Sasuke stared at me intensely, his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth.

"I'm not mad," he said finally, though his tone contradicted him.

"Okay, good."

"I'm. Not. Mad," Sasuke repeated.

"Okay, that's fine then," I lifted my chin and started him in the eyes. He knew I didn't believe him, I didn't have to say it. Now it was my turn to walk away.

As calmly as I could I turned around, my shoulders tensed as I stared at the dim lights of the dorm buildings in the distance. The wind picked up, blowing my night gown flat against my body. I shuddered, but began walking back to the house. It was clear to me that Sasuke wasn't going to answer my question, I was going to have to figure out why he was angry for myself. Now I had to go back to the house and deal with Gaara.

I got no more than ten metres before I was knocked to the ground. I screamed as my cheek hit the grass – my vision blurred for a moment from the impact. Bright lights danced in front of my eyes and I tried to blink them away. Above me Sasuke had pinned me to the ground. I struggled, kicking my legs and clawing at the ground, trying to flip myself back over.

"Sasuke what the fuck!" I squeaked. I felt vulnerable, the wet grass was soaking into my nightgown and it was clinging to my body as I fought.

I finally managed to twist my body around, so I was staring up at Sasuke. His eyes were a vibrant shade of red, like pools of freshly spilled blood. I gasped, shoving my hands into his chest to push him off of me. He let me struggle for a moment before he caught hold of my wrists, pinning them to my body with his arm.

"S-Sasuke!" I gasped. Too terrified to blink, I continued staring into his eyes but it only seemed to make him angrier. For a moment we were both still, breathing heavily, staring intensely at each other. "Sasuke-"

I was shocked when he kissed me. So shocked that I didn't move. My whole body felt paralysed. Sasuke paused, as if thrown off by my lack of resistance, but he kissed me again. He pressed his lips against my forcefully, angrily.

It took me a moment to gather my senses. I struggled, fighting to twist my arms free. To my surprised, I didn't feel weak. Unlike his brother, Sasuke wasn't and incubus. So then why was he kissing me? I kicked, my heels scraping the ground. Sasuke pulled away, the soft feeling of his lips on my neck made me tingle all over. I let out a half-sigh-half-gasp as his tongue slid down the column of my throat, right above my pulse.

The scream that came out of my mouth didn't sound human. The pain was so intense that, for a moment, I didn't even realise that it was me who was screaming. I writhed on the ground beneath Sasuke, my body jerking and twitching unnaturally. He had bitten me.

I twisted my arms free, pounding on Sasuke's chest and clawing at his arms. The usual overwhelming rush of power which rose when I was in distress was painfully absent. I reached deeper within myself, searching for any scrap of magic I could use, but the feeling of Sasuke sucking on my neck draw me back to the surface.

After what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes, Sasuke pulled back – his eyes wide in alarm. His mouth was drippling with dark red blood. I brought a hand to my neck feeling the slippery, sticky hotness that was seeping down my neck. I opened my mouth in horror. What had just happened?

Sasuke looked sick. His pale skin was almost grey, and beads of sweat clung to his skin despite the frigid air. He pushed himself back, palms sliding along the wet ground, shaking.

I struggled to sit up, pressing my bloody hand against the wound on my neck as I tried to stop the bleeding. Sasuke watched me with wide eyes, I stared back – trembling and confused. I felt my eyes stinging with tears.

Cautiously, I got to my feet. I was shaking violently from the shock and cold. Blood ran in rivulets down my arm and neck, staining my nightgown and the sleeve of my robe. I took a few tentative steps back, watching Sasuke warily – as he were going to pounce on me any moment. Then I ran.

!"£$%^&*()*&^%$£"!

Sasuke P.o.v:

I was sickened with myself.

I watched her run from me.

I'd hurt her, scared her.

The way my heart sped up in excitement when I was around her had always worried me. This had been an accident waiting to happen, I thought to myself as I stood. I wiped the blood from my lips with the back of my hand, smearing it across my face. The mist and gloom had swallowed me whole. I could no longer see where I was and yet the scent of Sakura still lingered in the air.

What had I done?

I couldn't get the image of her out of my head, hair messy and skin flushed. What she had been doing when I had walked in. The thought of it made my skin burn with rage. I yelled into the blackness.

I needed her. Her body, her lips, her blood. It was all so enchanting, so new and so addictive. But I had hurt her. I could have killed her, I thought as I started walking – shoving my bloody hands deep into my pockets. Never in my entire life had I been so compelled to hurt, to kill, to love all in one moment of irrationality.

!"£$%^&*()*&^%$£"!

Sakura's p.o.v:

The lights of the dorm drew closer as I stumbled my way across the grounds. My heart was racing, sending fresh blood to stain my skin. I pressed my hand hander against the wound, crying out. _It hurt._

Tears had started sliding their way down my cheeks, they burned hot against my cold skin. By the time I made it to the front door, I could barely see. I pulled the door open and allowed it to slam loudly behind me. It was only now that my magic returned.

The lobby practically exploded. The sounds of shattering mirrors, smashing vases and splintering furniture filled the quiet of the house, sending my housemates running to see what the disturbance was. They found me, dripping blood in the middle of the floor, the room in pieces around me.

The rest of the night was a blur.

 **Sweetopia: Uh oh, some drama! A short one I know, but I didn't want to give too much away this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me a review/follow/favourite this story.**

 **xoxo**


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